September 24, 2016
Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo and other opposition party leaders on September 23 held a meeting in the Diet building and confirmed that they will cooperate “as much as possible” in the next general election to confront the Abe government based on agreements made among the four party heads in previous meetings.
The meeting was attended by Shii, Democratic Party President Renho, People’s Life Party President Ozawa Ichiro, and Social Democratic Party secretary general Mataichi Seiji, as well as Itokazu Keiko, who heads the parliamentary group “Okinawa Whirlwind”. This was the first leaders’ meeting held after Renho became the DP president on September 15.
In the meeting, Shii pointed out that in past meetings, opposition party leaders agreed to work together to: repeal the national security legislation and restore constitutionalism; prevent “Abenomics” economic policies from ruining people’s livelihoods and increasing poverty and economic inequality; squarely confront the Abe administration which arrogantly disregards people’s voices concerning various issues such as the TPP free trade pact and U.S. military bases in Okinawa; and block the move to revise the Constitution under the Abe regime.
Shii stressed that the four opposition parties in the meetings of both party leaders and secretaries general repeatedly decided on electoral cooperation “as much as possible” in the next general election. Noting that opposition parties’ joint struggle in the July House of Councilors election bore fruit in many single-seat constituencies, Shii proposed starting talks to this effect.
The JCP chair also proposed promptly starting discussions on electoral cooperation in the House of Representatives by-elections in the Tokyo No.10 and Fukuoka No.6 districts scheduled for October.
In response, DP chief Renho said, “Past agreements among the opposition parties have great significance. I will follow the line set by former DP President Okada.”
Shii said that in order to further promote electoral cooperation, the opposition force needs to enrich policy agreements, seek common grounds on the issue of forming a new coalition government, and realize full-scale mutual cooperation.
Past related articles:
> Opposition alliance totals 5 wins and 1 loss in farming prefectures [July 16, 2016]
> JCP Standing Executive Committee issues statement on Upper House election results [July 11, 2016]
The meeting was attended by Shii, Democratic Party President Renho, People’s Life Party President Ozawa Ichiro, and Social Democratic Party secretary general Mataichi Seiji, as well as Itokazu Keiko, who heads the parliamentary group “Okinawa Whirlwind”. This was the first leaders’ meeting held after Renho became the DP president on September 15.
In the meeting, Shii pointed out that in past meetings, opposition party leaders agreed to work together to: repeal the national security legislation and restore constitutionalism; prevent “Abenomics” economic policies from ruining people’s livelihoods and increasing poverty and economic inequality; squarely confront the Abe administration which arrogantly disregards people’s voices concerning various issues such as the TPP free trade pact and U.S. military bases in Okinawa; and block the move to revise the Constitution under the Abe regime.
Shii stressed that the four opposition parties in the meetings of both party leaders and secretaries general repeatedly decided on electoral cooperation “as much as possible” in the next general election. Noting that opposition parties’ joint struggle in the July House of Councilors election bore fruit in many single-seat constituencies, Shii proposed starting talks to this effect.
The JCP chair also proposed promptly starting discussions on electoral cooperation in the House of Representatives by-elections in the Tokyo No.10 and Fukuoka No.6 districts scheduled for October.
In response, DP chief Renho said, “Past agreements among the opposition parties have great significance. I will follow the line set by former DP President Okada.”
Shii said that in order to further promote electoral cooperation, the opposition force needs to enrich policy agreements, seek common grounds on the issue of forming a new coalition government, and realize full-scale mutual cooperation.
Past related articles:
> Opposition alliance totals 5 wins and 1 loss in farming prefectures [July 16, 2016]
> JCP Standing Executive Committee issues statement on Upper House election results [July 11, 2016]
