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2014 January 15 - 21 TOP3 [JCP]

JCP 26th Congress resolves to squarely confront LDP

Akahata editorial

The Japanese Communist Party held its 26th Congress on January 15-18 in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Delegates from across Japan actively discussed ways to turn the upward tide of the JCP showed in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and the Upper House elections last year to a full-fledged offensive influencing Japan’s policies. They adopted a resolution which seeks JCP members’ aggressive efforts to pave the way to establish a democratic coalition government in the 2010s.

JCP-LDP confrontation in every field

Discussions during the Congress revealed that the confrontation between the JCP and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is growing on a full scale throughout the country.

Elections for the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and the House of Councilors are not the only examples of the drastic changes taking place. The runaway policies of the Abe Cabinet are causing contradictions and hardships among people at colleges, workplaces, and local communities everywhere and arousing public anger. In this political situation, the JCP, which squarely confronts the LDP policies with counterproposals, is attracting support from a wide range of the general public, many delegates reported.

A delegate from Okinawa Prefecture said, “People in Okinawa will never accept the plan to construct a new U.S. military base in Nago City’s Henoko district. The former prefectural assembly chair, who is an LDP member, is raising his voice against the LDP’s breach of the election promise.” Another delegate from Fukushima Prefecture stated, “The JCP is the only party in the Namie Town Assembly that had pointed out the danger of nuclear power plants. Today, the town assembly adopted a statement unanimously standing in opposition to the restart of NPPs.”

A Nagano delegate related the story of a member of the LDP who quit as the party branch head in protest against the forcible enactment of the state secrets protection law. The anachronistic policies by Prime Minister Abe, who seeks to change Japan to a “war-fighting nation”, are drawing criticism even from conservatives.

In his report given on the first day of the Congress, Chair Shii called for nationwide cooperation to block the move to create a war fighting nation and a return to the dark ages. This call received positive responses as a proposal to meet public demand. Now is the time to gather together citizens’ reason and wisdom to put a brake on the Abe Cabinet’s runaway policies.

It is significant that the report’s proposal to build a bigger party capable of taking the offensive in the “JCP-LDP confrontation” was emphasized in discussions and became a slogan of the Congress. In order to pave the way for the establishment of a democratic coalition government in the 2010s, it is keenly needed to achieve two major objectives: to double party strength and to build a bigger party presence among the younger generations. Conditions exist to achieve this, as the Congress has shown.

Party with pioneer spirit

The party congress also had many young delegates in attendance, who in discussions reported how they were suffering under harsh labor practices in “black corporations”, joined the JCP and developed their political awareness as party members. One of them said, “The JCP is a big hope. Many youth are waiting for their chance to meet this party.”

As the party with a strong pioneer spirit, the JCP is determined to make a fresh start in order to achieve a party advance in simultaneous local elections in spring next year and the following national elections.

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