Japan Press Weekly

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2012 August 22 - 28 [TERRITORIAL ISSUE]

Calling for cool heads, JCP opposes Takeshima/Senkaku resolutions

The House of Representatives adopted two resolutions in its plenary session on August 24, protesting the South Korean president’s visit to Takeshima Island and Hong Kong activists’ landing on the Senkaku Islands. The Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party of Japan, and New Party Daichi opposed the resolutions.

At a steering committee meeting of the House before the plenary session, JCP representative Kokuta Keiji called on the parties concerned to refrain from reacting emotionally and avoid escalating tensions.

He stated, “No matter what the territorial issues are, what Japan must do is find a way out through calm diplomatic talks based on historical facts and international law.”

“The Diet must encourage the governments concerned to take a calm response and have diplomatic discussions with each other to work together to solve the dispute,” he added.

Kokuta pointed out that the Takeshima-related resolution lacks any intent to seek a cool-headed negotiated settlement and only intensifies tensions overall. As for the Senkaku-related resolution, he said, “It focuses only on the strengthening of physical countermeasures and the JCP cannot allow to pass as is.”