July 19, 2012
The Japanese Communist Party on July 18 held a meeting in Tokyo to celebrate the 90-year anniversary of its founding (July 15, 1922). JCP Chair Shii Kazuo and Director of the JCP-affiliated Social Sciences Institute Fuwa Tetsuzo spoke before the audience of 2,100, viewers on the Internet, and JCP members via Intranet broadcasting.
The JCP Central Committee, as of July 21, received a congratulatory message from the Cuban Embassy in Japan; the Communist Party of China Central Committee; Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua; the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee; the Organization in Solidarity with the People of Africa, Asia and Latin America (OSPAAAL); and the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee.
Shii began by saying, “What kind of mission does the JCP have and what kind of role do we fulfill in our effort to change the society in Japan?” Looking back on the JCP history, he pointed out the need for the JCP to be stronger and bigger and talked about new horizons.
Shii stated that based on the JCP’s founding spirit “to reduce people’s hardships and defend people’s safety,” the party has taken the initiative in efforts to help in the recovery of the 3.11 disaster-hit areas and pursue a course for Japan without nuclear energy. He asked the crowd to continue engaging in donation-raising activities and the party’s volunteer activities to help reconstruct the affected areas. He called for a no-nuke movement to go in tandem with the effort to support and rebuild Fukushima.
Regarding the work to change society, he pointed out that the direction the JCP should aim at is winning over “a revolution formed under a vast majority of consensus as sovereigns of the nation, with the majority of people participating.” The important thing for the JCP to demonstrate in this work, he added, is its “foresight” to present a way out of the current impasse; its “indomitability” to face up to interference and difficulties; and its “grassroots strength” to fight together with the people.
Shii pointed out that under the circumstances in which media giants are merging with political power to jointly promote the maladministration of the nation, “indomitability” is especially necessary for the entire party in order to win a majority, and stressed the need to increase Akahata readership, the people’s media, as a means to open the way to a new Japan.
Shii reported on the recent development of collaboration between the JCP and people in various fields based on common grounds. Through such an experience, the party is gaining the public trust. He said, “I will think hard and work hard to form a new type of united front in order to change Japan.”
To accelerate social reform in Japan, he stated, “It is decisively important to size up the JCP which displays the three characteristics of foresight, indomitability, and grassroots strength.” He spoke of the history of the party’s struggle such as the underground publication of the pre-war and wartime Akahata, sticking to the principle of sovereign independence, and striving to build the party in line with the Program.
He reported that the JCP is gaining international attention by quoting the appraisal by Germany’s Party of Democratic Socialism.
He expressed his determination to achieve a JCP advance in the coming general election and make a success of party buildup.
In conclusion, Shii stated that he is “convinced of the possibility of attainment of true freedom and happiness in life, which are not drifting but sailing by a firm compass in search of the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people,” and called on yet-to-be JCP members to work together to achieve a better society in the interests of all.
Recapitulating 90 years of the history of the party’s efforts, Fuwa said that the JCP always faced head-on any forces no matter if they were gigantic when they attempted to undermine the interest of the general public, peace and democracy, and progress and development of Japanese society.
Fuwa shed light on the JCP’s hard work to change Japanese society by pointing to three historical struggles.
As the first struggle, Fuwa outlined the struggle against the prewar Tenno (Emperor) system. Explaining that since its foundation, the JCP bravely waged a struggle for a democratic revolution with the aim to change the prewar Emperor government, Fuwa said that this struggle was proven to be an action in line with a world trend to seek peace and social progress.
The second was the fight against the harmful effects of hegemonism. Talking about the fight, Fuwa revealed the fact that the former Soviet Union, at the time of its interference with the JCP in the so-called “1950 Question,” had already devolved into a nation of hegemonism by the signing of prewar secret agreements between Stalin of the Soviet Union and Hitler of Germany.
Fuwa said that after overcoming the party split and difficult situation due to Soviet interference, the JCP succeeded in achieving sovereign independence and launched movements for political change based on the Party Program. He also said that the JCP’s complete victory over Soviet and Chinese interference and advance in general elections brought drastic changes to the political situation, which included activation of Diet deliberations in the 1970s.
The third was the struggle against the “all-are-ruling party” structure which was designed by the ruling forces to hinder the JCP from increasing its force in the Diet.
Citing the agreement made in 1980 between the Socialist Party (dissolved in 1994) and the Komei Party to confirm their anti-communist commitment, an introduction of a single-seat constituency system for the House of Representatives elections, and moves to create a “two party system” since the 2003 general election, Fuwa said that the ruling forces for thirty years attempted to exclude the JCP from the political arena. He said that regardless of their anti-JCP efforts, the “all-are-ruling party” structure, which is beholden to Japanese corporations and the U.S. government, deepened the political crisis.
Looking back on the 50-year history of theoretical development since the establishment of the JCP Program in addition to these three struggles, Fuwa emphasized their international significance by saying, “We can look upon this theoretical development as an activity aiming at a Renaissance of scientific socialism which utilizes and revitalizes the true nature of theories in modern society by cleaning up the medieval legacy of the socialism created in the Stalin-era.”
In conclusion, Fuwa said that many factors indicate that the current Japanese society is facing a major turning point. He pointed out that this situation further makes clear the differences between political parties sticking to a traditional style of politics which is subservient to the business circle and the U.S. and a political party heading in a new direction by changing the old style of politics. He said, “To build a stronger JCP is the key for the party’s major project to change Japan’s future course in this century. Keeping in mind the many JCP members in the past who engaged in efforts to reform Japanese society and following in their footsteps, we will add a new page to Japanese history.”
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