Japan Press Weekly

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2016 February 17 - 23 [POLITICS]

Shii attends SDP convention for first time in JCP history

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on February 20 attended the Social Democratic Party convention held in Tokyo and called for strengthening the joint struggle for abolishing the war legislation among five opposition parties. This was the first time ever for a JCP chair to take part in a convention of the SDP or its predecessor, the Japan Socialist Party.

SDP Secretary General Mataichi Seiji reported to the convention that leaders of five opposition parties on the previous day agreed that the five parties will jointly work to abolish the war legislation and the Cabinet decision which lifted the ban on Japan’s use of the collective self-defense right. He added that the five parties will cooperate in national elections as much as possible.

In the convention, Shii and representatives of three other opposition parties delivered speeches as invited speakers.

Shii, in his speech, said that the JCP and the SDP have been fighting side by side on various issues, including the defense of the Constitution. He stressed that it is an epoch-making agreement that the five parties decided to cooperate in response to public demand. The JCP chair urged opposition forces to work together, by saying, “Let’s make efforts to restore constitutionalism, pacifism, and democracy in Japan’s politics.”

Edano Yukio, secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan, said that the priority in the coming House of Councilors election will be to minimize the number of seats taken by the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties and their supplementary forces. Imai Masato, secretary general of the Japan Innovation Party, indicated that his party will work hard with other opposition parties to restore democracy. Ozawa Ichiro, who heads the People’s Life Party, said that what the five parties should do is to trust each other and to team up in order to bring down the Abe government.

Shii, SDP Chair Yoshida Tadatomo, and the three opposition party representatives appeared on the stage with their hands joined and received enthusiastic applause.