Japan Press Weekly

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2018 November 14 - 20 [POLITICS]

Civil Alliance and opposition forces begin discussing collaboration in 2019 Upper House election

The Civil Alliance and opposition forces including the Japanese Communist Party on November 16 held a meeting in the Diet building to exchange views on expanding the joint efforts between opposition parties and concerned citizens in next year’s Upper House election to bring down the Abe government.

Along with the JCP, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People, the Social Democratic Party, the Liberal Party, and the parliamentary Group of Independents attended the meeting. The DPFP took part in the opinion exchange with the Civil Alliance for the first time since its foundation.

Hosei University Professor Yamaguchi Jiro, who serves as a facilitator of the Civil Alliance, said, “The Civil Alliance and the opposition forces have a common understanding on the need for opposition parties’ cooperation in single-seat constituencies in the 2019 House of Councilors election.” He went on to say, “The Civil Alliance will work to enhance opportunities for electoral cooperation among the six opposition parties. We seek to work out policies in common which should become the election platform of the opposition/civil alliance.”

JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira referred to the victory of Tamaki Denny in the Okinawa gubernatorial election to which six opposition parties’ joint efforts contributed. He said, “If we succeed in standing in unity in the Upper House election, we will be able to put an end to the Abe government.”

Stating that regarding the issue of fielding a united candidate in each single-seat district, the six parties are of the same opinion, Koike said, “It’s time for putting this view into practice.” He explained the JCP policy on electoral cooperation which calls for mutual endorsement and support, and added, “The urgent need now is for the opposition forces to begin candid and earnest discussions at the headquarters level without preconditions.”

Secretaries general of other parties expressed their opinions about electoral cooperation. Hirano Hirofumi of the DPFP, for example, said, “I’m glad to be here today. To obtain more seats in single-seat constituencies in next year’s election than in the previous election is the first step toward bringing down the Abe government.” LP Secretary General Mori Yuko also stressed the need to join hands in the election on key issues.

Past related articles:
> JCP to other opposition parties: Let's start talks on Upper House electoral cooperation [October 18, 2018]
> Civil Alliance exchanges views with opposition parties in preparation for 2019 Upper House campaign [May 29, 2018]