Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2021 May 12 - 18 [POLITICS]

Tokyo JCP in its campaign pledges includes cancellation of Summer Games

The Tokyo Metropolitan Committee of the Japanese Communist Party, at a press conference in the metropolitan government office on May 13, released its key campaign promises for the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election slated for July 4. The promises include working for the cancellation of the Tokyo Olympic/Paralympic Games this summer.

Tanabe Yoshihiko, JCP Tokyo Committee chair, criticized the Tokyo Olympic organizers for intending to mobilize 200 doctors and 500 nurses to the Games as volunteers while the National Governors' Association claims that a shortage of healthcare personnel is the biggest problem in providing COVID-19 vaccinations.

Tanabe pointed out that pandemic situations defer in each country, and therefore fair competition under the same conditions will be difficult. He said that Tokyo, the host city of the Summer Games, should decide to cancel the Games.

Tokyo JCP's key campaign promises are:

- cancel the Summer Games, and focus on efforts to deal with COVID-19 based on scientific evidence;
- protect Tokyoites' lives and livelihoods during the coronavirus crisis;
- eliminate poverty, rectify the economic disparities, and provide generous support;
- change the present policy putting priority on the interests of large corporations to one pursuing a sustainable Tokyo;
- promote gender equality and establish a Tokyo respecting diversity and individual dignity;
- put a halt to unlawful acts of the U.S. military and establish a truly peaceful Tokyo by making full use of the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution; and
- replace the outdated assembly ruled by the Liberal Democratic Party, the Komei Party, and the Tokyoites First party (local party founded by Governor Koike Yuriko) with a new one which values sufficient deliberations in decision-making processes.