JCP - 100 years old

The JCP is the oldest political party in Japan, founded July 15th, 1922. At the time Japan was under the despotic rule of the absolute Emperor system: internally the Japanese people were deprived of all democratic rights, while externally Japan took the path of wars of aggression against other Asian countries and expansion of colonial rule over them. Outlawed from the outset of its founding, the JCP was the only political party in Japan that fought against the wars of aggression, upholding the banner of freedom and human rights.

After the defeat of Japan, the JCP has worked as a legitimate political party. The JCP has strong ties with public at the grassroots level and works actively as a party of independence and self-driven, including the party's finance.

A New Japan the JCP Is Aiming For

The JCP Program sets forth a perspective for advancing to a future society by overcoming capitalism. Yet, the party advocates the position of a "step-by-step advance," that any social change can only be made when the people think such change is necessary and conditions for it are in place. The party is also based on the theory of "revolution by the majority," that any stage of social development will be brought about only after the majority of people agree and support it.

For Democratic Changes

The JCP is working to realize the following changes in Japanese politics for the immediate future, through "democratic change within the framework of capitalism":

1. To promote Japan's economic policy for defending the interests of ordinary people, instead of one of the wealthiest or big businesses. To establish democratic rules that will check abusive activities of large corporations and protect the rights and livelihoods of the people;

2. Never to allow the adverse revision of the pacifism enshrined in the Japanese Constitution. To promote democracy and establish a Japan free from militarism;

3. To break away from the Japan-U.S. military alliance. To fully restore the national sovereignty by removing all foreign military bases, and aim to establish a world without nuclear weapons.

Our Policy Focus; Economic Inequality, Climate Crisis, and Gender Gap

The JCP is now focusing on new policy initiatives: Dignity for people by overcoming economic inequality, especially through minimum wage hike, education fee reduction, and social security back-up; Climate Justice for future generation through cutting CO2 emission by 50-60% by 2030 and creating a carbon-free society even without nuclear power plants; and Building a Gender-Equal Society by empowering women, especially by eliminating any economic gap between men and women in wage, promotion, etc., and respecting full rights and dignity of the LGBTQ community.

JCP's International Activity

(1) Adhere to Independent Position

The JCP attaches importance to respect for the right to self-determination. It has strongly opposed any expression of hegemonism by any power to violate the sovereignty of other nations. It opposed the series of U.S. wars of aggression, as well as former Soviet Union's invasion of Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan.

It has maintained the position of sovereign independence, never allowing interference in the internal affairs of the Japanese movement by any big power. It had fought interference and attacks by the former Soviet Union and China's Mao Zedong group, and eventually in both cases their sides acknowledged their wrongdoings and normalized relations with the JCP.

(2) Peace Diplomacy for a New Japan

The JCP sets out in its Program the following basic points that a new Japan should seek in its peace diplomacy:

1. Reflecting on the wars of aggression and the colonial rule Japan perpetrated in the past, we will attach importance to friendly relations and exchanges with the Asian countries;

2. Defending the international order for peace provided for in the UN Charter, we will oppose any hegemonic attempt which would violate or destroy that order;

3. We will work for prevention of nuclear war and elimination of nuclear weapons; safeguarding the right of nations to self-determination; general disarmament, dismantling of all the military blocs, and the withdrawal of foreign military bases;

4. We will oppose both indiscriminate terrorist actions and retaliatory war which would sacrifice people;

5. We will work for the reversion of the Chishima (Kurile) Islands, and Habomai and Shikotan Islands, which are Japan's historical territories;

6. We will take action to control irresponsible activities of transnational corporations, protect the environment of the earth, and check the economic hegemonism of some big powers.;

7. We will work for peaceful solution of conflicts. We will also actively engage in international aid activity by non-military means, with the aim of resolving humanitarian problems, including disaster, refugees, poverty and starvation; and

8. We will make efforts to establish relations of peaceful coexistence between countries with different social systems, and of dialogue and coexistence among civilizations with diverse values.

(3) Relations with Foreign Political Parties and Governments

Our basic position is that we will open our relations with any party if we share an interest in beginning mutual exchanges in accordance with the principles of sovereign independence, equal rights, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, regardless of whether that party is conservative or progressive, and whether it is a ruling party or an opposition party.

As for relations with foreign governments, the JCP is making efforts to develop exchanges with them on the issues of peace, global warming and progress.

We are now seeking to develop new exchanges and cooperation with leftist and progressive parties in developed capitalist countries. We want to strengthen our exchange and cooperation in order to realize the challenges of international solidarity that we face, and to learn from and exchange experiences with parties operating under the common conditions of developed capitalism.

The JCP attended the meetings of the ICAPP (International Conference of Asian Political Parties), the Summit Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (guest) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (guest) as well as the UN-related conferences such as the COPs of UNFCCC and the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.