JCP sues Komei members for libel

In Kochi Prefecture, the Japanese Communist Party on March 24 sued the Komei Party's lawmaker and its prefectural representative with the Kochi Public Prosecutor's Office for libel.

The JCP said that the Komei Party in Kochi had spread groundless rumors regarding incidents at a hospital affiliated to the Japan Federation of Democratic Medical Institutions (Japan Min-iren).

The JCP also brought a case into the Kochi District Court, demanding their apology and damages for libel.

In her speech on a street of Kochi City on January 26, Komei Party Upper House member Matsu Akira said that 243 patients at a hospital affiliated to Kyoto Min-iren died due to cost-cutting tests. Stating that the medical institution donated money it made from the dishonest act to the JCP, Matsu said, "The JCP is funded with money collected through manipulating people's lives."

Matsu's speech was printed in the Komei Party Kochi branch's paper.

The JCP stated that the party has never accepted donations by companies or organizations, including Min-iren-affiliated medical institutions, and that this incident was a Komei Party attack against the JCP.

On the same day, the JCP filed a suit with the Tokyo District Court against the company "Mirai Shobo" for slandering the JCP by publishing a book about abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea, as well as the East Japan Railway Company which put advertisements promoting the book in trains.

Pointing out that the JCP made a great contribution to solving the abduction issue, the JCP stated that the Komei Party carried out the attacks as part of its nationwide anti-JCP campaign preceding the simultaneous local elections that will take place in April. (end)