Japan Press Weekly

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2017 October 25 - 31 [POLITICS]

Civil Alliance calls for stronger 'counterbalancing' power

In response to the October 22 election results, the Civil Alliance, a civic organization calling for the revocation of the security legislation (so-called war laws) and for the restoration of constitutionalism, thanked all citizens who worked hard to promote cooperation among opposition parties before and during the election campaign. The Alliance at the same time emphasized the need to build a stronger "counterbalancing" force.

The organization on October 23 released a statement on the election outcome and requested that pro-constitutional political parties form a relationship of collaboration with all independents and politicians who advocate constitutionalism in order to create a much more powerful opposing force. The organization in the statement said, "We the Civil Alliance will do the best we can to help achieve this."

The statement congratulates the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan for becoming the largest opposition party as a result of the election and sees it as "an achievement that has gained a provisional foothold to protect constitutionalism".

Regarding this achievement, the statement highly evaluates "the effort that the Japanese Communist Party made in advancing the opposition parties' cooperation by putting aside the party's own interests to support a broader perspective" and also considers "the role the Social Democratic Party played as a key to the opposition parties' cooperation".

On the other hand, the statement points out, "The system of single-seat constituencies, with its 'first past the gate' or 'winner take all' has awarded an enormous number of seats to the ruling parties which we need to understand as being far from representing the popular will." It strongly criticizes the head of the Democratic Party, Maehara Seiji, for "dividing the party and destroying the opposition parties' collaborative approach by pushing through its merger with the Hope Party".

The Civil Alliance in the statement expressed its firm "opposition" to a motion for constitutional amendments the Abe government plans to make and renewed its determination to increase the anti-revision movement together with pro-constitution opposition parties.

Past related articles:
> Civil Alliance and new constitutional party confirm common election platform [October 4, 2017]
> Civil Alliance rejects possibility of collaboration with Tokyo Governor’s constitutional revisionist party September 30, 2017]