November 24 & 25, 2012

Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Ogata Yasuo on November 22 delivered a speech on peace, security, and reconciliation in Asia at the first-day session of the 7th International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) held in Baku in Azerbaijan.

In the day’s session, representatives of 60 political parties from 30 countries took part.

Ogata highlighted the following three points as essential to creating a peaceful atmosphere in eastern Asia:

The mindset of “a military response for a military action” should be abandoned; territorial disputes should be solved in a peaceful and diplomatic manner based on historical facts and international law, the use or the threat of force should not be allowed, and differences in political systems should not impede economic and cultural exchanges; and Japan, offering deep reflections on its past war of aggression and colonial rule, should build friendships with Asian nations and contribute to achieving a fair solution to territorial issues.

The ICAPP sessions ended with a declaration adopted on November 23. Ogata exchanged views and had pleasant conversations with other party executives during his stay in Azerbaijan.