January 22, 2025

Japanese Communist Party Central Committee Chair Shii Kazuo issued a statement on January 21 following the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States. The full text of the statement is as follows:

The world today is not determined by the United States alone—On the inauguration of U.S. President Trump

January 21, 2025
Japanese Communist Party Central Committee Chair Shii Kazuo

The Japanese Communist Party expresses its strong concern over the fact that Donald Trump, the newly inaugurated president of the United States, has reiterated his intention to prioritize his "America First" principle, “take back” the Panama Canal and “expand” U.S. territories, withdraw the nation from the Paris climate agreement and the World Health Organization, and expel undocumented immigrants by force. These acts are in violation of the peace order based on the UN Charter and international law, and are a retreat from the pressing global challenges that require international cooperation for humanity to overcome.

While stating that the U.S. will “build the strongest military the world has ever seen”, President Trump stressed that he will “stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity” to the world. The JCP will be closely watching how he deals with the ongoing wars and conflicts around the world.

If President Trump implements his “America First” policy, it will not only deepen the contradiction with the international community but also widen the contradiction and friction with U.S. allies and their citizens. Will the Japanese government continue with its traditional stance of giving absolute priority to the Japan-U.S. alliance even in such a circumstance? This should be called into question.
　
Today’s world is not determined by the words and deeds of the President of the United States alone. The mainstream of the struggle for world peace is spreading in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and is based on the UN Charter and international law, building peace through dialogue and inclusion, aspiring to non-alignment and neutrality, breaking away from nuclear deterrence, and calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. There, social and peace movement activists in civil society in each country are playing an important role. The JCP will work hard both at home and abroad to advance this mainstream of the global peace movement, in concert with efforts to reform the relationship between Japan and the U.S. to one of equality.