Japan Press Weekly

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2017 January 11 - 17 TOP3 [JCP]

Historic JCP Congress attracts wide attention

The Japanese Communist Party 27th Congress began on January 15 in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Representatives of other opposition parties cooperating with the JCP attended the Congress for the first time in the 95-year JCP history.

In the opening speech, JCP Chair Shii Kazuo introduced the representatives of the three opposition parties (the Democratic, Liberal, and Social Democratic parties) and an opposition group in the Upper House, Okinawa Whirlwind. “This Congress has become a special event in JCP history which will open a new era in Japan’s politics,” he stressed.

The four representatives gave speeches in solidarity. Azumi Jun, a deputy president of the largest opposition Democratic Party, said, “We’ll work hard to strengthen the opposition alliance in the run-up to the coming general election.”

On the stage, Shii and the four guests joined hands and shouted in chorus, “Let’s unite and fight together!” Nearly 1,000 delegates from across the country stood up and shouted together.

The Congress received messages from the governors of three prefectures - Okinawa, Iwate, and Niigata. They were elected with support from the alliance uniting opposition forces and concerned citizens.

The conference was also visited by 57 reporters from 29 media organizations, including national newspapers and TV networks. This figure is about 2.5 times the norm at the conventional JCP Congresses. One of those media organizations broadcast live on the Internet the whole proceedings of the first day.

A local newspaper reporter said, “It’s impossible to follow the developments of the opposition alliance without covering the JCP.”

The Congress will close on January 18.

***

Accepting the invitation extended by the JCP, ambassadors and diplomats from 12 foreign embassies in Tokyo attended the JCP Congress. They listened attentively to Shii’s central committee report with the use of simultaneous interpretation services.

During a break, they had friendly talks with Shii, JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira, and JCP Social Science Institute Director Fuwa Tetsuzo.

The 12 countries sending representatives are as follows: Afghanistan, Angola, Cuba, East Timor, El Salvador, Eritrea, France, Germany, Laos, Tunisia, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

Past related article:
> Opposition party representatives to attend JCP Congress for the first time [December 20, 2016]