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The Japanese Communist Party Central Committee held its 2nd Plenum on May 29 at the JCP head office. Its aim was to confirm how the party will tackle the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election and the House of Councilors election and adopt the "JCP Platform for the House of Councilors Election" with CC members exerting themselves.
JCP Executive Committee Chair Shii Kazuo gave the Executive Committee report. He first shared his joy over the historic victory of former leprosy (Hansen's disease) patients in their lawsuit against the government and commended JCP branches and members in leprosy isolation centers throughout the country for their indomitable struggle, which he praised as the JCP's pride.
Pointing out that the basic course of the JCP's election campaigns has been established by the JCP Congress and subsequent national meetings of JCP prefectural chairs, and that it is already been put into practice, Chair Shii said that the Executive Committee report will only focus on questions that call for discussion and decision, without reiterating what has been decided so far.
He proposed that the Central Committee endorse the decisions of the two prefectural committee chair meetings in April.
Shii gave an analytical view on the political situation which has been created following the establishment of the Koizumi Cabinet and explained how the party should develop its activities. He made the following three points:
(1) The "high popularity of Prime Minister Koizumi" is closely related to the aspiration of the people for political change, and its realization depends on JCP activities and advances in the elections, and that the most important thing is for the JCP to go on the offensive in the new situation.
(2) At issue in the confrontation between the JCP and Koizumi politics are political corruption scandals, including the "secret state funds," and economic policies that include "disposing of bad debts," social welfare services, taxes, fiscal policy, and peace and the Constitution.
(3) In political party relationships, new contradictions are arising, including the Komei Party's loss of its raison d'etre as a ruling coalition partner. But anti-communism still remains a major motivation of the Komei Party's unity and action. The weaknesses of all opposition parties except the JCP are being exposed to the public. They have nothing substantive to show how they are trying to change Liberal Democratic Party politics.
Based on this analysis, Shii said that the "JCP-LDP confrontation" is the crux of policy debates and the alignment of political parties. Stressing that the JCP is the only party that can meet the expectations of the people for political change, Shii called on Central Committee members to do their utmost in the conviction that the JCP's advance has an important bearing on the Japanese people.
As a supplement to the election campaign policy, Executive Committee Chair Shii proposed the following: (1) Political campaign to be carried out on a larger scale than in any past election; (2) Goals to be set for increasing support for the JCP and achieved before the proclamation; and (3) nationwide support to ensure a major JCP advance in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election. Shii concluded the Executive Committee report by calling on the Central Committee members to exert themselves to use the power of a firm political line and policies, as well as of the branches at the grassroots to achieve a major JCP advance without fail.
Policy Commission Chair Fudesaka Hideyo introduced to the plenum the draft JCP House of Councilors Election Policy, and explained its main points and characteristics. Fudesaka said the JCP draft election platform makes it clear that the JCP policy, in antithesis to Koizumi's "reforms," proposes a way toward nation-building and the remaking of Japan in the 21st century in full measure. His explanation covered its outline, by articulating the significance of the JCP emergency economic proposal and its relationship to the platform, the significance of the JCP proposal for a consumption tax rate cut, and the characteristics of the five reforms proposed in the platform.
Nineteen members spoke during the discussion of the Executive Committee report and the draft election platform.
After the discussion, Chair Shii made the concluding remarks on the Executive Committee report and the discussion. Shii said that the opinions expressed during the discussion and those expressed by viewers of this session on communication satellite (CS) TV expressed determination to carry out the election campaign with one heart to win. He stressed that the key to a leap in campaign activities is to fully understand the characteristics of the new situation arising from the establishment of the Koizumi government and to get fully convinced of the JCP role in effectively confronting the Koizumi Cabinet. Citing the April advance in Akahata readership, he stressed the importance of producing results in each task and building confidence, which will help to achieve further advances. He also stressed that in election campaigns the speed of carrying out what we should do within a set time will make a difference. Specifically, he proposed an increase in Akahata readership in May as the first such step toward paving the way toward a JCP advance.
Fudesaka made concluding remarks on his explanation of the proposal of the platform and the discussion. He said that CS viewers said they are eager to read the JCP election platform as soon as possible, adding that opinions in the discussion contained many positive suggestions and that they would be included in the platform as much as possible. He requested that the Central committee entrust the Standing Executive Committee with the finishing touches.
The Plenum unanimously adopted the Executive Committee report, the Concluding Remarks, the House of Councilors Election Platform, and the Explanation of its proposal and its Concluding Remarks.
The Plenum elected Central Committee member Iwanaka Masami as an Executive Committee member. (end)
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