Japan Press Weekly

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2008 June 25 - July 1 [POLITICS]

Kakushinkon holds its 28th General Assembly

The Association for a Peaceful, Democratic and Progressive Japan (National Kakushinkon) on June 28 held its 28th General Assembly in Tokyo, and 285 participants resolved to solidify various types of cooperation in society in the Kakushinkon movement for progressive change in politics.

In the presentation of the plan of action for the next year, Ban’nai Mitsuo, a coordinator of the National Kakushinkon, said that many people are saying, “Something is wrong with society. Capitalism may have reached its limits.” He said that the Kakushinkon movement should seize the heightening public awareness to achieve its leap.

Ban’nai proposed an action policy calling for more than 1,000 local Kakushinkon to be created throughout Japan while developing activities that are open to anyone. He said any number of people could start up local Kakushinkon.

The Kakushinkon movement began in May 1981 to unify people wishing to achieve democratic change in politics and build a majority based on the three objectives of peace, democracy, and better living standards. It has become a large association with 777 local and smaller ones, having the largest ever circulation of more than 24,000 copies of its newsletter.

Kakushinkon’s three common objectives are: reform Japan’s economy to be based on the will of citizens in order to improve their living conditions; make full use of the Constitution and develop freedom, human rights, and democracy; and abrogate the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and create an independent and peaceful Japan free of nuclear weapons or military alliances.

JCP Shii speaks at Kakushinkon General Assembly

In his speech at the Kakushinkon General Assembly, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo noted that Liberal Democratic Party-led politics are reaching an impasse, a broad cross-section of society is increasing in involvement and cooperation in the movement and is displaying its power to open the way for a new politics.

For example, Shii cited, solidarity is developing among workers, between different generations, between various peace movements, and between consumers and producers.

Shii said, “Times have changed. We are replacing the slogan ‘Let’s fight back in society-wide solidarity!’ with ‘Let’s create a new politics through society-wide solidarity!”

Arguing that the Kakushinkon plays a key role in increasing society-wide solidarity, Shii said, “It’s time for the Kakushinkon to work harder with vigor in order to increase society-wide solidarity to build a huge united front to change national politics.