December 8, 2015

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo gave a speech in Tokyo on December 7, stressing that a major JCP advance in next summer’s Upper House election will contribute to repealing the unconstitutional war legislation.

On the day, the JCP Tokyo Metropolitan Committee held a speech meeting to call for public support for the party in the upcoming national election.

As an “imminent danger” to Japan, Shii pointed to the fact that the enacted war legislation enables the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to provide military support to the U.S. forces which is conducting airstrikes on the Islamic State militant group.

Shii went on to say, “The ruling parties rammed the security legislation through the Diet as a single package of bills related to 11 different laws. We must abolish this ‘package’ as a whole.”

Shii also referred to the recent tripartite talks held with the leaders of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), which was hosted by the weekly magazine AERA.

In the talks, DPJ head Okada Katsuya expressed reluctance to form a “national coalition government” to repeal the war legislation, which was proposed by the JCP. Concerning this issue, Shii said: “Putting aside differences in policies, we want to unite with other opposition parties to restore constitutionalism in Japan’s politics. Soon after completing its task (of annulling the war legislation), the national coalition government would be judged by the people in a general election. I believe that this is the most practical and reasonable proposal.”

He added, “After the two-hour meeting, I felt that if we continue with dialogues with other opposition parties, it is possible to find common ground on various issues.”

The JCP chair also mentioned the fact that 48 civic groups in Kumamoto Prefecture have jointly called on five opposition parties, including the JCP, to field a joint candidate in the upcoming Upper House election.

“This is a hopeful move and we gladly welcome it. Whether the JCP initiative will bear fruit depends on the strength of public opinion and popular movements,” he emphasized.