Japan Press Weekly

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2016 November 23 - 29 [POLITICS]

Politically conscious Japanese youth lean toward a government made up of opposition alliance

The Democratic Youth League of Japan (DYLJ) on November 27 completed all its National Congress sessions after adopting a new resolution aiming at working to form a coalition government made up of the present opposition parties. The youth group also set an increase of 1,500 members as a goal.

At the closing session of the 40th National Congress held in Shizuoka Prefecture, DYLJ Chair Koyama Minoru stated that the youth movement has helped increase cooperation among citizens demanding political change and that seeds of another government have begun to germinate.

He emphasized the importance of united youth efforts, grassroots struggles, and the study of the potential for social change, and called on all DYLJ affiliates to work in collaboration with the Japanese Communist Party “to further fuel the youth movement and build a stronger DYLJ”.

In a discussion session on the previous day, many delegates reported on signs of change in the younger generations as they learn about social structures and experienced the citizen-opposition alliance in the House of Councilors election.

A college student from Hyogo Prefecture who joined the League in April said he successfully invited two friends to join him to form a DYLJ group at his college. He continued, “As we continued to study about political and social issues, we became much more politically conscious. I want as many people as possible to study more about the structure of society so I will invite more friends to join the League.”

A delegate from Kumamoto Prefecture where a united opposition candidate had run for the Upper House election said, “A Democratic Party official showed up at our gathering one day and told us that his party was greatly motivated by the youth movement, and I came to understand that it is actually us who can move politics.”

An Aomori delegate talked about a student who became a DYLJ member in July. The delegate said this student has since been participating actively in such events as an antinuke international conference and in seminars on The Capital.”

JCP Vice Chair Tamura Tomoko (House of Councilors) offered greetings as a guest, saying, “The JCP is aiming to establish a coalition government of opposition parties. With you, we aspire to open up the door for that to occur.”

Past related articles:
> DYLJ congress resolves to work to help create ‘national coalition gov’t to repeal war legislation’ [November 22-24, 2015]
> DYLJ resolves to work to realize young people’s demands [November 23-25, 2014]
> DYLJ 37th congress: Let’s become large and reliable for representing youth November 23-25, 2013]