Japan Press Weekly

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2017 September 27 - October 3 [POLITICS]

Civil Alliance rejects possibility of collaboration with Tokyo Governor’s constitutional revisionist party

The Civil Alliance on September 29 published a comment on a merger of the Democratic Party with Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko’s Hope Party which approves the unconstitutional war laws, rejecting any possibility of collaboration with such a political party.

In the comment, the Civil Alliance noted that four opposition parties, including the DP, three days earlier basically agreed with the civic group regarding electoral cooperation and a 7-point proposal for a united election platform. The DP’s latest act of joining with the Hope Party has ruined the established framework for cooperation between pro-constitutionalism opposition parties and concerned citizens. It expressed its determination to work even harder to achieve its policy goals of repealing the war laws and restoring constitutionalism.

Civil Alliance member and Sophia University Professor Nakano Koichi in an Akahata interview on September 30 said that the Tokyo governor’s political party, which is made up in large part by right-wing, pro-constitutional revisionists, is in essence a supplementary force to the Abe administration.

Following is the gist of his interview:

It is obvious that the Hope Party was founded with the aim of organizing constitutional revisionists among lawmakers because the anti-constitution forces such as the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties and the Ishin no Kai are expected to lose their majority in the Diet in the coming general election. The Hope Party anticipates that its foundation will cause a break-up of the DP and will damage the joint struggle among opposition parties working to defend constitutionalism. The DP leadership led by President Maehara Seiji decided to merge with the Hope Party, which constitutes a serious breach of trust.

It is hardly likely that all DP Dietmembers can enter into the Tokyo governor’s party. Considering that a new government would initiate a constitutional amendment after the general election, it is important for the Civil Alliance to determine which lawmakers are willing to ally themselves with the united front.

The Japanese Communist Party has earned great trust from concerned citizens through past joint struggles. This was shown by the results of the latest Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election. I hope the JCP will respond to the trust given by concerned citizens and continue to play a role in further developing collaboration between opposition parties and public movements.

Past related articles:
> Tokyo Governor’s new party is rightwing constitutional revisionist [September 26, 2017]
> Civil Alliance appeals to opposition parties to unite in general election [September 22, 2017]