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2025 March 5 - 11 [JCP]

JCP CC Chair Shii answers young people’s questions

Japanese Communist Party Central Committee Chair Shii Kazuo, at an event titled, “Let’s talk with Shii” held by the JCP Osaka Prefectural Committee on March 9 in Osaka City to increase young people’s support for the party, answered questions from the participants.

In response to a question about the possibility of achieving both higher wages and shorter working hours as proposed by the JCP, Shii cited that the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) in this year’s “shunto” spring wage offensive is making efforts, including engaging in strikes, to realize a substantial wage hike and a shorter work day for all workers. He said, “Seeking to achieve the two goals, the JCP in collaboration with the labor movement will work hard to overcome the argument imposing ‘self-responsibility’ on individuals and driving a wedge between regular and non-regular workers, public and private sector workers, and the young and the old.”

Asked for a comment on Japan’s excessively-high tuition fees, Shii stressed, “It is anticipated that more and more students will stand up to fight against the heavy tuition burden, which can be said to be historical.” He noted that more than 250 students on February 13 urgently gathered in the Diet building in protest against national universities’ planned tuition hikes, and expressed his determination to make all-out efforts in solidarity with students fighting against tuition increases to open a bright future for young people.

A participant took up the results of Germany’s federal election in which the German Left Party (Die Linke) achieved a major advance, and asked Shii about the JCP’s relations with left-wing and progressive parties in Europe.

Shii, recalling his visit to Europe last year, reported on his talk with the German Left Party. He said that in the talks, Left Party officials explained that young members played a leading role in efforts to attract voters’ support for the party’s policy to tackle the surge in rents and higher prices for goods and services overall, and fight against fascism, which contributed to the influx of tens of thousands of new members in a short period.

Shii emphasized that what he sees in activities of European left-wing and progressive parties is that a “movement for social progress is immortal as long as there are contradictions in capitalism.” Stating, “The JCP for 103 years since its founding has never lost confidence in the potential for social progress,” he expressed his determination to work hard to achieve a major advance in this year’s House of Councilors election.

Past related article:
> Executive Committee Chair Tamura announces JCP policy for achieving higher wages and shorter working hours [September 21, 2024]