2001.07.30

JCP Standing Executive Committee issues statement on House of Councilors election results

The Japanese Communist Party Standing Executive Committee on July 30 issued the following statement on the results of the July 29 House of Councilors election.

The 2001 House of Councilors election was fought in a peculiar political situation characterized by what media organizations called a "Koizumi whirlwind" blowing on an unprecedented scale. This "whirlwind" caused the JCP enormous adversity in achieving its advance. The JCP lost three of its eight seats which were up for election.

In the proportional representation constituency, the JCP received 4.33 million votes, which was more than the 3.87 million it got in the 1995 House of Councilors election but less than the votes it obtained in the 1998 House of Councilors election and the 2000 House of Representatives election.

It is regrettable that the JCP failed to maintain its previous positions, even though it put up a good fight against the "Koizumi whirlwind."

We express our heartfelt gratitude to all JCP voters as well all those who braved the hot summer days to achieve a JCP advance: JCP members; JCP Supporters' Association members; and all JCP supporters.

The JCP believes that the political statements it made during the election campaign will prove to be valuable assets in future political discussions.

The JCP was the only party that courageously and openly criticized Prime Minister Koizumi's "structural reform" plans as schemes that will shift unbearable burdens onto the people and invite the failure of Japan's economy. All the other parties were in favor of them.

The JCP proposed the way to reform Japan's economy and improve foreign relations as reasonable means of breaking through Liberal Democratic Party politics, which is at an impasse.

The failure of Koizumi politics is clearer now. We are sure that the JCP's policies and arguments are in the interests of the Japanese people and reasonable enough to carry the future of Japan. They will play an important role in the future developments of politics and the economy.

The JCP will do its utmost both in the Diet and in all localities to fulfill its election promises.

As we review the election results, we are acutely aware of the importance of building a party which is strong both quantitatively and qualitatively, and capable of overcoming any kind of political adversities.

We renew our determination to carry out what we decided at the JCP 22nd Congress in order to vitalize the JCP: strengthen the branches as the main players; build a 500,000-strong JCP by 2005; steadily increase the readership of Akahata; and establish stronger and broader ties with the public.

The next JCP Central Committee Plenum will make an overall review of the election results by fully considering opinions within and outside the party.

The next national election will be the House of Representatives election. Learning lessons from the latest election, the JCP is determined to make every possible effort to turn the tide toward a JCP advance in the next general election. (end)

Results of the July 29 House of Councilors election

Party   Total won   Prefectural   Proportional   Uncontested   Total strength
                     districts   representation                (Pre-election strength)
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JCP         5           1             4              15            20     ( 23)
DPJ        26          18             8              33            59     ( 56)
SDP         3           0             3               5             8     ( 12)
Liberal     6           2             4               2             8     (  5)
LDP        65          45            20              46           111     (107)
Komei       3           5             8              10            23     ( 23)
NCP         1           0             1               4             5     (  7)
Others      2           2             0              11            13     ( 17)
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Total     121          73            48             126           247     (250)*
                                                                  *Two vacancies
             * The Upper House is now reduced to 247 seats through this election.

(Opposition parties)

JCP: Japanese Communist Party DPJ: Democratic Party of Japan

SDP: Social Democratic Party Liberal: Liberal Party

(Ruling coalition parties)

LDP: Liberal Democratic Party NCP: New Conservative Party

Komei: Komei Party