JCP publishes its 'Eighty Years of the Japanese Communist Party'

The Japanese Communist Party has published an updated version of its history that demonstrates its validity both at present and in the future.

JCP Chair Shii Kazuo called a news conference in the diet on January 16 to explain the general characteristics and main points of the "Eighty Years of the Japanese Communist Party."

Shii said that the "Eighty Years" is designed to clearly explain how the JCP has been playing its pioneering role in an indomitable manner and to show its ability to analyze the errors it has made and historical conditions it has had to undergo.

Shii said that the "Eighty Years" makes clear that what the JCP has achieved in the 20th century since its founding provides the power to help develop the future of Japan and the rest of the world in the 21st century. "We meant to emphasize that history lives in the present and the future," he said, adding that it looks at historical issues that have contemporary significance.

The "Eighty Years" consists of three periods: (1) JCP struggles in the prewar days; (2) Restart of JCP activity in the postwar era and the effort to overcome the a party split in the "1950 Problem"; and (3) The establishment of the JCP Program and the subsequent 40 years. Particularly, the third period is devoted to an analysis of Japan's political history and the JCP's role in it in each decade.

Explaining the characteristic points of the "Eighty Years," Shii made the following comments:

Referring to the JCP's struggle in the prewar days to replace the despotic rule of Tenno (the emperor) as the sovereign with democracy giving the people sovereign power, Shii emphasized, "This is not a thing of the past but has imperishable significance which lives in the present and will live in the future."

He also explained that for the prewar history, a methodical approach was used to assess the role of the Communist International (Comintern).

Shii said that new characteristics can be found in making a general statement about the JCP policy of sovereign independence. He said that JCP sovereign independence was established after undergoing tests and trials after the party split of 1950, and that this laid the foundations for the JCP advance achieved so far and of its international activities.

The establishment of the JCP Program and the subsequent JCP advances is described in detail concerning the following points: Scientific analysis of U.S. policy of aggression and interference, contradiction and crisis of LDP rule, application and development of the JCP programmatic line, Japan's political history and JCP's consistent role, and the development of organizational activity at the grassroots level.

Finally, Shii said that the JCP wants the "Eighty Years" to be read by not only JCP members and supporters but also by as many people as possible who want to review Japan's political history and rethink political parties as a document which records the history and role of a political party that moves history by addressing the fundamental political issues for Japan and the rest of the world.

"Eighty Years of the Japanese Communist Party"

PART ONE
Founding of the JCP and prewar Japanese society

PART TWO
Indomitable struggle opposing war of aggression and demanding democracy

PART THREE
Japan Postwar and the JCP

PART FOUR
JCP 1950 Problem

PART FIVE
Adoption of JCP Program -- From JCP 7th Congress to 8th Congress

PART SIX
New advance based on programmatic line--1960s

PART SEVEN
Fierce LDP-JCP Confrontation-- 1970s

PART EIGHT
Progressive challenger of LDP politics-- 1980s

PART NINE
New leap and test for JCP -- 1990s

PART TEN
In the new century -- Perspective for progressive development of JCP and the world

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