Japan Press Weekly

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2016 August 3 - 9 TOP3 [JCP]

Shii speaks on opposition alliance/citizens collaboration at JCP 94th anniversary meeting

The Japanese Communist Party on August 5 held a speech assembly in Tokyo to commemorate the 94th anniversary of the founding of the JCP. JCP Chair Shii Kazuo spoke on the significance of collaboration between four opposition parties and citizens’ groups which has become stronger since the forcible enactment of the unconstitutional war legislation.

In front of the audience filling the assembly hall, Shii said that a good fight made by a joint opposition candidate in the Tokyo gubernatorial election represented how strong the opposition force/citizens collaboration has become.

Shii spoke on the Upper House election results.

Noting that joint opposition candidates won seats in 11 of the 32 single-seat constituencies in the election, Shii said, “The opposition force did very well despite it being the first attempt for the four opposition parties to work together.” Shii then reported that in the proportional representation blocks in the election, the JCP obtained over six million votes, the second largest number of votes in its history. In the election which contested half of the 242-seats in the House of Councilors, the JCP doubled the number of its contested seats to six, securing 14 seats in the House in total including the uncontested seats, Shii added.

As lessons learned from the Upper House election results, Shii pointed out the fact that in 28 of the 32 single-member districts, the number of votes cast for the joint opposition candidates exceeded the total number of votes that the four opposition parties combined received in proportional representation blocs. This underlines the effectiveness of the united fight presented by the opposition alliance with concerned citizens, Shii said.

Shii stressed the significance of the victory that the opposition alliance’s candidates achieved in 11 single-seat constituencies. Shii said that in particular, the victory in the Okinawa and Fukushima constituencies where the Abe government’s anti-people policies and the public interest clearly conflict delivered a heavy blow to the Abe government.

Shii also said that through the joint struggle with the opposition parties and civil groups in the Upper House election, the JCP has built up new relations with people in those groups based on empathy and trust for the JCP.

Shii cited the JCP’s united front policy which the party has long had since 1961. “A new era where our policy on a united front movement is influencing Japan’s political situation has begun.” Shii appealed to the participants, saying, “Let’s concentrate our ideas and efforts on further developing the newly-born opposition party-citizens collaboration.”

Explaining the JCP stance toward the opposition alliance, Shii said that the JCP will make further efforts to achieve progress in the united efforts between the opposition alliance and civil groups at the grass-roots level. He also declared that the JCP will work hard to realize common policies agreed upon by the four opposition parties and make a further success with the four parties’ cooperation in the next general election.

In conclusion, Shii referred to the need to strengthen daily activities in making the JCP Program known to the general public. He said, “The JCP Program is attracting public attention in the current political situation. I call on JCP members to engage in conversations with the general public about what the JCP Program consists of as well as about how the party envisions Japan’s future.”

Past related articles:
> Joint opposition candidate puts up good fight in Tokyo governor race [August 1, 2016]
> 2 sitting ministers lose in Okinawa and Fukushima voting districts [July 11&12, 2016]
> JCP Standing Executive Committee issues statement on Upper House election results [July 11, 2016]