Japan Press Weekly

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2016 February 17 - 23 [JCP]

Shii calls on all candidates and chairs of JCP prefectural committees to fight to win in Upper House race

Following a new phase begun with an agreement on electoral cooperation among five opposition parties, the Japanese Communist Party on February 22 urgently called all chairpersons of JCP prefectural committees and all JCP candidates for the Upper House election to the JCP head office in Tokyo to affirm their determination to win a victory in the upcoming race.

JCP Chair Shii Kazuo said that the tenacious public call for “a joint effort by the opposition forces” has made the 5-party agreement possible, describing it as epoch-making and a big step forward to restore pacifism, constitutionalism, and democracy to Japan.

Shii suggested the best way to proceed with discussions on electoral cooperation in each of the 32 single-seat constituencies, directing them to confirm that their counterparts: have an intent to join hands with the JCP in the election; have a joint candidate hold up campaign promises to abolish the security legislation and work to withdraw the Cabinet decision allowing the use of the right to collective self-defense; and are willing to foster close cooperation.

He added that the party will continue to propose establishing “a national coalition government to repeal the war laws” during talks on electoral cooperation with other opposition parties and will try to form a consensus in the direction of a realization of a coalition government.

Shii also told the attendees that the party will seek to field independent joint candidates in constituencies where there is a possibility to do so and to share as much common ground as possible with other opposition parties regarding policy challenges other than the opposition to the war laws.

In addition to the need to cooperate with other opposition parties to force the LDP-Komei bloc and its supplementary forces into a corner, the JCP must strengthen its own efforts to achieve a JCP advance in proportional representation and multiple-seat constituencies.

To achieve a victory in these constituencies, Shii stated that it is important to make it known to voters that the JCP is a party which squarely confronts the Abe government and can present a vision for the future after the demise of the present regime; attaches importance on cooperation with the general public and opposition parties in order to bring about a change in politics; and proposes establishing a responsible coalition setup in replacement of the Abe government.