Japan Press Weekly

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2018 October 17 - 23 [POLITICS]

JCP to other opposition parties: Let's start talks on Upper House electoral cooperation

The Japanese Communist Party, as decided in its Fifth Central Committee Plenum, made a proposal to the secretaries general of four opposition parties and one parliamentary group to begin consultations aimed at forming cooperative ties between opposition parties in the forthcoming House of Councilors election.

JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira held a press conference in the Diet building on October 17 and announced that the party already asked the other parties to immediately start "serious and candid interparty negotiations".

In order to field a united opposition candidate in each single-seat constituency in the Upper House election, the JCP is seeking to work out a positive agreement with them on common policies, mutual endorsements, mutual support, and a vision for a new government.

Koike said that each party probably has different opinions on electoral cooperation, adding, "So, I suggested that we initiate honest discussions, including exchanges regarding disagreements."

Koike continued to say, "I believe that they (Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Democratic Party for the People, independents, Liberal Party, Social Democratic Party) have seriously taken into consideration the JCP proposal."

Past related article:
> JCP in 5th CC Plenum reaffirms need for electoral cooperation [ October 15, 2018]