Japan Press Weekly

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2014 January 8 - 14 [JCP]

JCP to do utmost to improve soured ties with S. Korea: Ichida

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on January 9 attended a New Year reception hosted by the Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan) in Tokyo, expressing his resolution to make every effort to improve and develop the relations between Japan and South Korea.

In his congratulatory speech, Ichida noted that the JCP advocates creating a framework in Northeast Asia for peace and cooperation so that countries in the region can solve international disputes in a peaceful manner. “To build friendly relations with its neighbors, Japan needs to first reflect on its past war of aggression and colonial rule of other Asian nations,” he said, receiving an enthusiastic round of applause.

The JCP spokesman also stressed his party’s position to support permanent foreign residents’ claim for local suffrage, including eligibility to stand for elections. He added that the JCP will make further efforts to enact a bill to achieve this across party lines.

Ichida and other JCP representatives engaged in friendly conversations with Mindan President Oh Gongtae and Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union Acting Chair Kim Tae Hwan.