Japan Press Weekly

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2017 September 27 - October 3 [POLITICS]

Civil Alliance confirms common election agenda in preparation for selecting united opposition candidates

The Civil Alliance on September 26 submitted a 7-point written request to four opposition parties (the Japanese Communist, Democratic, Liberal, and Social Democratic parties) regarding the upcoming general election and confirmed a common election agenda.

JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira and JCP Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta Keiji met representatives of the civic group at the Diet building. Koike said to them, “Your election platform proposal that the four parties and concerned citizens have united on in the past have led to our growth in popularity. Our party will do its utmost in the election to have your proposal incorporated in our joint election platform.”

Hosei University Professor Yamaguchi Jiro of the Civil Alliance after submitting the request told reporters that the organization was able to confirm each party’s intent concerning the fielding of joint opposition candidates.

Yamaguchi presented each party’s responses: The DP said it will do whatever it can to meet the citizens’ request and to realize a ruling-vs.-opposition battle in the election; the LP said it agrees with every request and will share it as its election platform; and the SDP said it will also share the request items as common goals.

The following is an outline of the Civil Alliance request. The four opposition parties should:
- oppose amendments to Article 9 of the Constitution;
- work to retract the state secrecy, national security, and anti-conspiracy laws;
- refuse to approve the restart of nuclear power reactors without determining the cause of the 2011 meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant;
- thoroughly investigate the “Moritomo” and “Kake” allegations and the cover-up scandal of “daily reports” on Self-Defense Force units in South Sudan;
- work to drastically improve policies on childcare, education, and employment;
- work to establish work rules so that an 8-hour work day can secure a decent life for workers, and implement economic and social security policies in order to enhance people’s living standards; and
- work to eradicate discrimination against LGBTs and to end discrimination in employment and wages against women.