Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2018 October 24 - 30 [JCP]

‘JCP supporters’ festival takes place

The "Japanese Communist Party supporters” festival took place on October 28 in a Tokyo park for the first time since the party established a new supporter system in February.

The “JCP Supporter” system aims to invite people who are in favor of the JCP to become “JCP supporters” by using a registration form on the front page of the JCP website. The event was organized as an opportunity for them to have direct contact with the JCP in response to the demands from “supporters” connecting with the JCP via online channels.

Under a clear blue autumn sky, with rap music and other live music performances taking place on the main stage, participants got into the spirit of the festival. Between music performances, JCP Chair Shii Kazuo and Secretariat Head Koike Akira appeared on the stage to join a talk corner separately.

In the talk corner, Shii answered questions which were sent from supporters through e-mails and social media like LINE, for example, “Are you a cat person or a dog person?” He also played Chopin’s “Farewell Waltz” on the digital piano. Koike talked with a famous performer of Rakugo storytelling (Japanese traditional verbal entertainment) on collaboration among opposition parties.

In the festival, in addition to local JCP fan clubs from across Japan, civil groups working together with the JCP, such as an anti-hate speech group, put up their booths. JCP fan clubs sold various goods that bear their logos and civil groups attracted visitors by displaying what they have been doing with the JCP.

Meanwhile, at a booth set up by the JCP headquarters, JCP parliamentarians explained JCP policies and exchanged views with supporters on issues of human rights, poverty, and social welfare as well as on other social issues.

For instance, JCP member of the House of Councilors Kira Yoshiko talked with a 23-year-old university student about how to eliminate discrimination against women, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. Another JCP Upper House member Tatsumi Kotaro discussed the increase in poverty among younger generations with members of a youth group working on this issue, AQUITAS.

At a flea market in the festival venue, various civil groups, including a Tokyo local group working to support the anti-base movement in Okinawa, showcased goods for sale with the aim of increasing public support for their activities. At the venue, people were able to purchase agricultural products and street food and experience the digital version of Akahata.