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2018 January 10 - 16 TOP3 [JCP]

JCP Koike at Korean party offers his wishes for success of Winter Games in PyeongChang

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on January 12, in his congratulatory speech given at a New Year reception for Korean residents in Japan, offered his wishes for the success of the PyeongChang Games as a "celebration of peace" as well as a celebration of sports in which North Korea will also participate.

He said this in response to the call from the party host for cooperation in the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games slated for February and March in South Korea.

Koike attended this New Year gathering held in Tokyo by the Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan), along with representatives from other political parties.

Koike mentioned that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration in which Japan for the first time in an official joint statement expresses "deep remorse and heartfelt apology" for its past colonial rule over the people of Korea.

He stated, "To seriously face up to the past deeds and to understand much more about each other are essential in further promoting sincere mutual exchanges," and expressed his determination to continue striving cross-party for the eradication of hate speech acts and the enfranchisement of permanent foreign residents in local elections.

Koike exchanged greetings and spoke with Oh Gong-tae (Mindan president), Lee Su-hoon (South Korean Ambassador to Japan), and Song Young-gil (head of a delegation of the South Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union).

Past related articles:
> JCP Koike in Mindan’s organ paper: Remorse over past war of aggression is basis for true Japan-S. Korea friendship [January 3, 2018]
> JCP Secretariat Head Koike at Korean ceremony: I’ll work to end hate speech [August 16, 2016]
> Yamashita attends New Year reception of Korean Residents Union in Japan [January 14, 2016]