Japan Press Weekly

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2010 January 13 - 19 [JCP]

Achieve party progress in 2010s: JCP 25th Congress ends

The Congress also elected 163 Central Committee members and 35 alternate Central Committee members who will play leading roles in working to implement the adopted Resolution.


The new Central Committee chose Shii Kazuo as the executive committee chair, Ichida Tadayoshi as the secretariat head, and Ogata Yasuo, Hamano Tadao, and Hiroi Yoko as the executive committee vice chairs.

In the concluding remarks, Shii stated, “The discussion richly deepened the draft Resolution and the Central Committee report, in which participants expressed their determination and aspiration to carry them out. It was joyful discussions with both laughter and tears,” and pointed out the three main characteristics of the discussion.

First, Shii said that no other congress described as vividly as this Congress the positive and dramatic change of political situation in which the people have started pursuing a new politics. Such change, involving agriculture, forestry, and fishery-related people, local governments, and intellectuals, has not automatically emerged but has been realized by the joint struggle of the JCP and the general public, he stressed.

Second was that the discussion clearly revealed the determination to make progress in the upcoming House of Councilors election with a united national effort. Shii stated that participants have introduced one after another the election campaigns they carried out based on the principle that party branches are the key players, activities in response to the proposal to engage in dialogue with more than half of the eligible voters, and determination to fight the Upper House election amid a successful campaign to increase party membership and Akahata readership.

Thirdly, the discussion deepened the proposal to carry out activities with “growth and development targets” as well as gave shape to prospects for a democratic coalition government. Positive determinations in response to the proposal were expressed by representatives of both successful and not so successful party branches, said Shii.

Fourth, the discussion clearly showed the course to be taken in order to establish a large, strong party. Shii pointed out that activities based on the principle that branches are the key players is the way to make progress in party buildup; workplace branch activities have drawn the lesson that tenacious and systematic efforts will bear fruit; and to pass its activities on to younger generations is the party’s significant task. He called on the participants to do their utmost to achieve historical progress in party buildup in the 2010s.

Shii reported that foreign diplomats who observed the Congress on its first day expressed the opinion that it was an important opportunity for them to understand Japanese politics. They also expressed sympathy for and willingness to cooperate with the JCP’s call for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the urgent need to address global environmental issues, he added.
- Akahata, January 17, 2010