Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2021 June 30 - July 6 TOP3 [POLITICS]

JCP’s call for cancelling Summer Games gains voter support in Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election

In the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election on July 4, the Japanese Communist Party calling for cancelling the Olympic and Paralympic Games increased its seats to 19. Among the 19 assemblymembers, 14 are women (74%), the largest percentage of female assemblymembers among political parties in the metropolitan assembly. The voter turnout stood at 42.39%, the second-lowest ever.

Like the JCP, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan which appealed for the need to cancel or postpone the Games won 15 seats, up eight from its pre-election strength of seven seats.

The Liberal Democratic and Komei parties obtained 33 seats and 23 seats, respectively, but failed to achieve their goal of capturing a combined majority in the 127-member assembly. The “Tomin First no Kai” party (local political party funded by Governor Koike Yuriko) decreased its seats by 14 from the pre-election strength of 45 to 31.

On the day following the election, the JCP held a street speech rally near Shinjuku Station.

JCP Chair Shii Kazuo pointed out that as major opponents of holding the Summer Games, the JCP and the CDPJ made significant gains, and stressed that this outcome represents Tokyo citizens’ sentiments against the holding of the Olympics this month. He added, “Prime Minister Suga and Tokyo Governor Koike should take Tokyo voters’ verdict seriously, decide swiftly to give up on holding the Games, and focus on all their attention on bringing an end to the pandemic.”

Shii said that the JCP will work hard to fulfill its election promises: oppose the Tokyo government’s plan to turn public hospitals into for-profit entities; change Tokyo metropolitan government pro-big business policies to people-oriented ones; create a Tokyo that values gender equality and individual dignity; and put a stop to the outrageous and other illegal acts of the U.S. military in Japan and build a peaceful Tokyo.

Noting that opposition parties’ united efforts achieved notable accomplishments in some constituencies which included single-seat constituencies, Shii said, “Electoral cooperation helped the JCP and other opposition parties obtain more seats. In addition, it is encouraging that mutual support worked to deepen the trust relationship between opposition parties.”

Shii said that the need now is to join hands to achieve the success of the joint struggles of opposition parties and concerned citizens in the forthcoming general election in order to establish a pro-people government. He also expressed his determination to work hard for the party’s major advance in the general election by making good use of the lessons learned from the achievements made in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election.

Past related articles:
> Women candidates for Metropolitan Assembly race account for 58.6% in JCP while only 15% in LDP [June 27, 2021]
> Shii: JCP advance in Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election will increase pressure for cancellation of Summer Games [June 17, 2021]