Japan Press Weekly

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2024 June 5 - 11 [JCP]

Shii talks with S. African ambassador to Japan

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Shii Kazuo on June 4 at the South African Embassy in Tokyo held talks with Ambassador Lulama Smuts Ngonyama.

Shii thanked the ambassador for his participation in a lecture meeting which the JCP held on April 18 to explain its proposal for peacebuilding in East Asia.

The two exchanged views on urgent global issues, including the Gaza crisis and the need for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Regarding the ongoing crisis in Gaza, Shii noted that the South African government has aggressively engaged in diplomatic activities, including filing a petition with the International Court of Justice, with the aim of achieving an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Shii said, “We hope to promote international cooperation in order to overcome the serious humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” The ambassador stressed that the Gaza issue is treated as a top priority in his government’s foreign policy agenda, saying emphatically that it is unacceptable for the international community to stand by and watch the ongoing situation in Gaza.

Citing the fact that Algeria recently submitted to the UN Security Council a resolution calling on Israel to end its offensive in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah immediately, Shii and the ambassador shared the view that in order to halt the genocide in progress, an approval of this resolution is important and that it is necessary to strengthen international cooperation to achieve this.

As for the issue of the abolition of nuclear weapons, Shii said that South Africa had once developed nuclear weapons, but decided to dismantle them and take a lead in world efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons. Stating that he respects the South African decision, Shii expressed his hope for improving cooperation with South Africa to take on the challenge of eliminating all nuclear weapons worldwide.

The ambassador referred to a visit to Hiroshima by the late South African President Nelson Mandela, and said that his government stands firm to work to abolish nuclear weapons.

In exchanging views on Russia’s war on Ukraine, Shii pointed out that in the world today, there exists a trend to strengthen military blocks and exclude specific countries. On the other hand, he continued to point out that there is also a trend to oppose any military blocks and include all countries. Stating that the latter trend can be seen in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa, Shii said that in these regions, inclusive diplomacy and efforts to make the regions nuclear free are promoted in an integrated manner and that the JCP looks forward to cooperation on various issues with South Africa.

The ambassador said that many people suffered hardships in wars which resulted from the partitioning of the world into blocks, and emphasized the importance of inclusivity.

Past related article:
> Shii publishes JCP diplomatic proposal for peacebuilding in East Asia [April 18, 2024]