February 18 & 24, 2015

Ogata meets with ICAPP co-chair
Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Ogata Yasuo on February 17 received Chung Eui-Yong, co-chairman of the Standing Committee of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) and ICAPP secretary general, at the JCP head office. They exchanged views on this year’s ICAPP activities.

Chung first thanked JCP Chair Shii Kazuo for his participation and for his speech to the ICAPP assembly in September last year in Sri Lanka, and explained ICAPP action plans.

Ogata said that the Colombo Declaration adopted in the last assembly has an important significance, calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. He presented the contents of the 5-point proposal the JCP issued regarding Japan’s basic stance to promote harmony and friendship with Asian countries.

Shii meets with South African ambassador
Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on February 23 met with South African Ambassador to Japan Mohau N. Pheko at the JCP head office in Tokyo.

The ambassador first expressed her congratulations on the JCP advance in the last general election.

Answering questions from the ambassador, Shii explained the party’s activities in the current session of the Diet as well as policy issues and the political situation in Japan.

Shii expressed his admiration for the role South Africa plays with the “New Agenda Coalition” working for the abolition of nuclear weapons. He said that the JCP looks forward to cooperation being developed with the South African government so that the international community can urge the world’s governments to move ahead with the start of negotiations on a Nuclear Weapons Convention on the occasion of the NPT Review Conference.

The ambassador welcomed the JCP suggestion and stressed that her government puts emphasis on the nuclear weapons issue and intends to continue making efforts for the establishment of a world without nuclear weapons.