January 21, 2015
The Japanese Communist Party on January 20 held its 3rd Central Committee Plenum at its head office in Tokyo, with nationwide simultaneous local elections approaching in two months. The following is an excerpt of the communique issued by the JCP CC Secretariat:
JCP Chair Shii Kazuo on behalf of the Executive Committee gave a report on the three themes: lessons and tasks drawn from the 2014 December general election, the current situation of Japan’s politics and the JCP’s role, and action policies for the upcoming nationwide local elections.
Firstly, the report states that the number of votes cast for the JCP in the 2014 December general election showed that the JCP “basically” succeeded in achieving the electoral targets (more than 6.5 million votes or 10% of the total votes) proposed in the 26th JCP Congress Resolution and “marked an important step” toward the “growth and development targets” proposed in the 25th JCP Congress Resolution. The report explained that the JCP’s major victory in the general election has historical significance because the party won this victory by repelling long-standing anti-communist attacks and the confrontation between the JCP and the Liberal Democratic Party has become the main feature in Japan’s political scene. The report cited a lack of JCP strength as a particular weakness in JCP election activities and stressed that overcoming this weakness will guarantee a major JCP advance in elections. The report proposed to set a target of obtaining more than 8.5 million votes or 15% of total votes in the proportional representation blocs in the next national election.
Next, noting that the Abe government pushing forward with its reactionary policies has three “fatal weak points”, the report determined that by fully utilizing its enhanced strength in the Diet, the JCP will work hard to fulfill its election promises: putting an end to Abe’s runaway policies and forcing a change in political directions on the issues the JCP focused on in its election platform. The report emphasized the importance of opening a new chapter in Japanese history this year which marks the 70th year since the end of WWII through movements against constitutional revision, retrogressive historical views, and nuclear weapons. The report made a five-point proposal on a basic position that the Japanese government should adopt in order to promote harmony and friendship with other Asian nations this year. Criticizing the public funding system for political parties and the single-seat constituency system as causing a deterioration and corruption in Japanese politics, the report called for the abolition of these two systems through public movements this year - the 20th year since the introduction of the two systems.
Regarding the nationwide local elections in April, the report stressed the need to strive to take advantage of the objective chance of winning and do everything the party needs to do so. As the political goal in the spring elections, the report called for winning back the No.1 position in the number of local assembly members, eliminating the prefectures where the JCP has no assembly member, and beating back the Japan Innovation Party in Osaka. All JCP members should be willing to discuss issues in national and local politics and to talk about the real value of JCP assemblypersons and the party itself, the report pointed out. As for publicity and buildup activities, the report proposed that a branch-based election campaign be staged; the party’s grassroots-based publicity power be fully demonstrated; all party members have dialogues and discussions with friends, relatives, and acquaintances to obtain their support for the JCP; all party members pursue voluntary efforts to build a stronger party; a major fundraising campaign be conducted; and preparations for the local elections be immediately made.
The report, in closing, called on all the party members to unite to achieve a major advance in the April local elections.
During the 3rd CC Plenum, 22 members participated in discussions on the Executive Committee report.
After the discussion, JCP Chair Shii, noting the historic success of the JCP in the latest general election, recollected that the party has gone through a few advances and many setbacks in past elections, and that each time the party achieved qualitative development. Shii stated that the “JCP vs. LDP” showdown has now entered a new phase featuring a full-fledged head-on confrontation between the two parties. If the party meets its numerical targets in the next national election, the midterm “growth and development targets” the party set in the 25th Congress may become possible, said Shii. He quoted the remarks made in the discussion that the change in the political power balance as a result of the general election also brought about a positive outcome in many local elections held soon after the general election. The JCP chair made sure that the great potential and the objective conditions exist ahead of the party for another advance in the April nationwide local elections.
The 3rd CC Plenum unanimously adopted the Executive Committee report and Shii’s concluding remarks and adjourned the meeting after pledging every effort for another major breakthrough in the upcoming local elections following the success the party achieved in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election (June 2013), the House of Councilors election (July 2013), and the House of Representatives election (December 2014).
JCP Chair Shii Kazuo on behalf of the Executive Committee gave a report on the three themes: lessons and tasks drawn from the 2014 December general election, the current situation of Japan’s politics and the JCP’s role, and action policies for the upcoming nationwide local elections.
Firstly, the report states that the number of votes cast for the JCP in the 2014 December general election showed that the JCP “basically” succeeded in achieving the electoral targets (more than 6.5 million votes or 10% of the total votes) proposed in the 26th JCP Congress Resolution and “marked an important step” toward the “growth and development targets” proposed in the 25th JCP Congress Resolution. The report explained that the JCP’s major victory in the general election has historical significance because the party won this victory by repelling long-standing anti-communist attacks and the confrontation between the JCP and the Liberal Democratic Party has become the main feature in Japan’s political scene. The report cited a lack of JCP strength as a particular weakness in JCP election activities and stressed that overcoming this weakness will guarantee a major JCP advance in elections. The report proposed to set a target of obtaining more than 8.5 million votes or 15% of total votes in the proportional representation blocs in the next national election.
Next, noting that the Abe government pushing forward with its reactionary policies has three “fatal weak points”, the report determined that by fully utilizing its enhanced strength in the Diet, the JCP will work hard to fulfill its election promises: putting an end to Abe’s runaway policies and forcing a change in political directions on the issues the JCP focused on in its election platform. The report emphasized the importance of opening a new chapter in Japanese history this year which marks the 70th year since the end of WWII through movements against constitutional revision, retrogressive historical views, and nuclear weapons. The report made a five-point proposal on a basic position that the Japanese government should adopt in order to promote harmony and friendship with other Asian nations this year. Criticizing the public funding system for political parties and the single-seat constituency system as causing a deterioration and corruption in Japanese politics, the report called for the abolition of these two systems through public movements this year - the 20th year since the introduction of the two systems.
Regarding the nationwide local elections in April, the report stressed the need to strive to take advantage of the objective chance of winning and do everything the party needs to do so. As the political goal in the spring elections, the report called for winning back the No.1 position in the number of local assembly members, eliminating the prefectures where the JCP has no assembly member, and beating back the Japan Innovation Party in Osaka. All JCP members should be willing to discuss issues in national and local politics and to talk about the real value of JCP assemblypersons and the party itself, the report pointed out. As for publicity and buildup activities, the report proposed that a branch-based election campaign be staged; the party’s grassroots-based publicity power be fully demonstrated; all party members have dialogues and discussions with friends, relatives, and acquaintances to obtain their support for the JCP; all party members pursue voluntary efforts to build a stronger party; a major fundraising campaign be conducted; and preparations for the local elections be immediately made.
The report, in closing, called on all the party members to unite to achieve a major advance in the April local elections.
During the 3rd CC Plenum, 22 members participated in discussions on the Executive Committee report.
After the discussion, JCP Chair Shii, noting the historic success of the JCP in the latest general election, recollected that the party has gone through a few advances and many setbacks in past elections, and that each time the party achieved qualitative development. Shii stated that the “JCP vs. LDP” showdown has now entered a new phase featuring a full-fledged head-on confrontation between the two parties. If the party meets its numerical targets in the next national election, the midterm “growth and development targets” the party set in the 25th Congress may become possible, said Shii. He quoted the remarks made in the discussion that the change in the political power balance as a result of the general election also brought about a positive outcome in many local elections held soon after the general election. The JCP chair made sure that the great potential and the objective conditions exist ahead of the party for another advance in the April nationwide local elections.
The 3rd CC Plenum unanimously adopted the Executive Committee report and Shii’s concluding remarks and adjourned the meeting after pledging every effort for another major breakthrough in the upcoming local elections following the success the party achieved in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election (June 2013), the House of Councilors election (July 2013), and the House of Representatives election (December 2014).
