Japan Press Weekly

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2024 August 14 - 20 TOP3 [POLITICS]

JCP and CDPJ agree to ‘cooperate and join forces’ in next general election

Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko and Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Izumi Kenta held talks on August 19 in Tokyo, and agreed to “cooperate and join forces” in the upcoming general election in order to defeat the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira and his CDPJ counterpart Okada Katsuya were present at the meeting.

Tamura and Izumi exchanged views on Prime Minister Kishida Fumio’s announcement that he will not run for the LDP’s presidential race slated for September, effectively meaning that he will step down as prime minister after the new LDP leader is elected. Tamura and Izumi agreed that the JCP and the CDPJ will “cooperate and join forces” in the next general election to bring down the LDP-led government.

Izumi explained the idea of a “mission-oriented Cabinet” in which opposition parties will work together on a policy-by-policy basis.

Tamura stated that after the Civil Alliance and pro-Constitution opposition parties reached a basic agreement on a five-item common policy agenda, the political situation has taken a dramatic turn. She pointed out that with the simmering public anger over the LDP’s off-the-book slush fund scandal, the LDP is now on the brink of being ousted. She said, “It is necessary to further enrich and strengthen opposition parties’ common policies and make them more attractive to voters.”

Regarding opposition parties’ electoral cooperation, Tamura stressed that the necessary thing in electoral cooperation is not to require the JCP to withdraw its candidates in the selection of joint candidates, but to adhere to the principle of mutual respect on an equal footing. She said that experiences in the April House of Representatives by-elections and the July Tokyo gubernatorial race and Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly by-elections indicated that respect for each other is very important in working together.

At a press conference after the meeting, Tamura said, “The JCP will make all-out efforts in the next general election to ensure a major success of opposition parties’ joint struggle to put an end to the LDP control of government.”

Past related article:
> Opposition parties agree on common agenda as put forth by Civil Alliance [December 8, 2023]