JCP CC 4th general meeting ends

The two-day Japanese Communist Party Central Committee 4th Plenum ended on June 6, after CC Chair Fuwa Tetsuzo spoke on the 21st century as a period of enormous social progress and Executive Committee Chair Shii Kazuo gave the concluding remarks.

The meeting unanimously adopted the Executive Committee report and Shii's concluding remarks, and approved Fuwa's speech. In the two days, a total of 43 people spoke.

Fuwa in his speech gave the general characteristics and perspectives for the period of enormous social progress and analyzed the forces which operate to this end in the international arena. Giving examples of some recent JCP activities, he explained the international significance of the JCP achievements supported by its 80-year history.

In his concluding remarks Shii said that the discussion in the meeting taking place after a half year since the previous one showed that the JCP's strenuous efforts brought about a major change in the political situation and also marked a new step forward toward a bigger and stronger party.

On the public local hearings regarding the contingency bills, Shii pointed out that even speakers recommended by the Liberal Democratic Party were apprehensive or critical of the legislation. The more discussion on the bills, the more defective and contradictory they are found to be, Shii said.

He stressed the need now is to strengthen the struggle inside and outside the Diet to foil the three contingency bills as well as the bills to adversely revise the medical insurance system, This would be a decisive blow to the forces promoting these bad bills, he added.

Shii said that the Koizumi Cabinet has exposed its inability to govern and that a new phase of turbulence has begun. He warned that the changing situation does not automatically lead to a switch-over to a new democratic government. This link will depend on whether the JCP can increase its organizational strength to win in local and general elections.

On the need to increase JCP organizational strength, Shii said that the proposal for continuous drive to increase JCP members and Akahata readers is a new challenge.

Shii ended by calling on all JCP members to enter the 21st century taking pride in the JCP history of 80 years and to make the utmost efforts to achieve a major advance in the general and local elections, and in building the party with increased organizational strength. (end)