January 16, 2024

The Japanese Communist Party 29th Congress began on January 15 at the JCP Izu Study Hall in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture and is scheduled to end on January 18.

Of the 648 delegates from across Japan, women accounted for 36.6%, hitting a record high. As guests, ambassadors and diplomats from 11 foreign embassies (Almenia, Indonesia, Cuba, Sudan, Nicaragua, Palestine, France, Vietnam, Venezuela, Moldova, and Laos) were present on the first day.

JCP Chair Shii Kazuo at the outset of his opening address referred to the massive New Year’s Day earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, expressing his condolences and sympathy for the loss of life and those affected by the disaster. He stressed that the national government should implement measures to help to prevent disaster-related deaths and relieve the disaster victims through such means as drastically improving the quality of temporary shelter environments. He also stressed that the government needs to tackle mid- and long-term tasks, including the reconstruction of individual houses and industrial recovery in the disaster-hit region.

Shii reported that as of January 12, the JCP collected 68 million yen in relief donations from throughout the nation and delivered the money to the disaster-affected municipal governments in Ishikawa Prefecture.

Vice Chair Tamura Tomoko on behalf of the Central Committee gave a report on the draft resolution for the Congress composed of five chapters. The draft resolution is expected to be adopted after in-depth discussions during the Congress.

Reporting on Chapter One, which focuses on the international situation, Tamura said that what is highlighted in this chapter is that the revised Party Program displays its strength in understanding international affairs from a broad perspective. Tamura pointed out that the JCP has firmly stood against Russia’s invasion against Ukraine and Israel’s attacks on Gaza, and stressed that at the root of this stance lies the revised Party Program which states that any manifestations of hegemony are not tolerated.

In her report on Chapter Two which focuses on Japan’s political situation, Tamura pointed out that the Kishida government is now caught in a desperate situation and said. “Putting an end to the Liberal Democratic Party rule is the most urgent task.” In order to achieve this, Tamura called on party members to build a nationwide movement in various fields to help realize a major advance of the JCP in the next general election.

Regarding a report on Chapter Three, Tamura explained the draft policy on party building. As a goal toward the 30th Congress, Tamura proposed to increase the party strength by 30% from the 28th Congress level by the end of 2028 and achieve the 28th Congress-set target of doubling the number of JCP members among young people, people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, and workers overall by the end of 2028.

Tamura concluded the Central Committee report after explaining Chapter Four, about the contradictions in world capitalism and the value of scientific socialism, and Chapter Five, discussing the significance of learning from the 100-year history of the JCP.