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2022 March 23 - 29 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Civil Alliance calls on JCP to work to realize united opposition candidates in Upper House single-seat districts

Representatives of the Civil Alliance visited Japanese Communist Party lawmakers in the Lower House members' office building on March 24 and called on the JCP to work to coordinate campaign policies and selection of candidates among opposition parties in order to confront candidates backed by the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties in the forthcoming House of Councilors election.

Hosei University Professor Yamaguchi Jiro, a steering committee member of the Civil Alliance, explained the four basic principles of the organization: maintain peace and the Constitution; enhance livelihood-support policies for people of all strata; promote energy conversion and tackle climate change; and protect human rights and realize a gender equal society. Yamaguchi said that the Civil Alliance hopes to share these principles with pro-constitutional parties and make policy recommendations.

In response, JCP Secretariate Head Koike Akira said, "We agree with the overall direction of your four principles. Especially, regarding the issue of peace and the Constitution, we intend to give a severe verdict on the LDP-Komei government in the House of Councilors election. To achieve this, we will attach importance on the need to powerfully develop opposition parties' joint struggle. In collaboration with your organization, we will proceed to hold talks on electoral cooperation with other pro-constitutional opposition parties."

Yamaguchi said, "Some politicians are making use of the Russian invasion of Ukraine to justify their argument for Japan's 'nuclear sharing' or 'possession of enemy-strike capability' and for constitutional amendments. However, the lesson we have learned from the ongoing aggression by Russia is that allowing someone who lies to people and sets less value on their lives to continue sitting in the state leader's seat would bring about a horrible situation. In the Upper House election, it will be important for pro-constitutional parties to defend the Constitution, democracy, and peace. Also, the important thing will be whether we can block the emergence of a regime under which no one dares to utter a word of dissent. We'd like to hold talks with pro-constitutional opposition parties and to share this concern with them."

Past related article:
> JCP and CDPJ agree to start talks on electoral cooperation in Upper House single-seat districts [March 19, 2022]