Learning lessons, we will make efforts to achieve JCP advance in the second half of simultaneous elections

The Japanese Communist Party Standing Executive Committee on April 14 issued the following statement on the results of the first half of the simultaneous local elections:

(1) In the first half of the simultaneous local elections held on April 13, the Japanese Communist Party failed to defend the strength it had held before the election. In the prefectural assemblies that came up for election this time, the number of JCP seats decreased to 110 from the 152 which it had won four years ago. Equally, the number of JCP seats in the major city assemblies decreased to 104 from 120 (which includes Saitama, a new city created through a merger of three cities).

We accept responsibility for failing to meet the expectations of voters. We express our deep gratitude to all those who voted for the JCP and to members of the JCP and its supporter' associations and all JCP supporters for their cooperation in the effort to achieve a JCP advance.

(2) Throughout its campaigns, the JCP put emphasis on opposition to the Iraq war and called for rules for international order to be defended. Expressing its firm opposition to shifting heavier burdens onto the public for medical services, the JCP called for a change in politics to give more support to maintaining the living conditions of the people. On the issue of local politics, we called for an end to the present up-side-down policies promoted by local governments ruled by all political parties except the JCP and a change away from the course that gives priority to large-scale development projects while neglecting welfare services and other residents' needs. In localities where the JCP's call reached voters, the JCP received their extensive support.

We are certain that in the present tumultuous situation in Japan and the rest of the world, the JCP's firm and reasonable stand for the defense of the people's interests in all issues, including peace, living conditions, and local politics will have great significance for our future struggle.

In the elections for prefectural governors and major city mayors, the party put up its candidates calling for a major change away from LDP politics. This was important as an effort to fulfill its responsibility as a political party. Unlike many other parties which are said to be in "decline", the JCP presented voters with a fundamental alternative for local politics.

The JCP will make every effort to realize its policies and promises it has made during the election campaign.

(3) Though the number of JCP seats has decreased to our regret, it is important that we have achieved a good foothold for a future JCP advance thanks to the strenuous efforts made by JCP members and supporters, including JCP supporters' association members.

In setting forward a strategy for this year's simultaneous local elections, the decision of the 5th Plenum of the JCP Central Committee in December 2002 stated that not only seeking extra JCP seats but defending the present seats is a difficult task.

The 5th CC Plenum decision stated:

"The 1999 simultaneous local elections took place after the House of Councilors election in 1998, in which the JCP received 8.2 million votes, the largest number ever. Alarmed at the JCP advance that would threaten their rule, the forces of anti-communism and reaction increased their attacks on the JCP, forcing the JCP into setbacks in the House of Representatives general election in 2000 and the House of Councilors election in 2001. In the House of Councilors proportional representation election, the number of votes for the JCP declined from 8.2 million in 1998 to 4.33 million. The task is to take the offensive to turn the tide toward a new major JCP advance. Such a rollback offensive is the only way to ensure our victory."

Analyzing from this point of view the results of the first half of the 2003 simultaneous local elections, we make the following points:

Compare the JCP votes in 367 constituencies, in which the JCP put up candidates for prefectural assemblies with the JCP vote in the House of Councilors in 2001 in the corresponding constituencies in proportional representation election. The total number of votes for the JCP increased by 32.2 percent, from 2.45 million votes to 3.24 million votes. The number of JCP votes increased in 324 constituencies, which accounts for 88.3 percent of all constituencies.

Adversely affected nationwide by cuts in the numbers of assembly seats and maneuvers aimed at crowding out the JCP, 31 JCP candidates out of 56 incumbents who failed to be returned to their prefectural assemblies are from constituencies with a small number of seats ranging from one to three. In contrast, 28 JCP candidates in constituencies with one to three seats won. This is an important achievement which shows that our victory is possible even in constituencies with a small number of seats, if every effort is exerted.

In the first half of the simultaneous local elections, the Komei Party and its parent religious organization Soka Gakkai led an intense anti-JCP campaign, often in conspiratorial ways. The JCP on the whole took the offensive to defeat these attacks. The JCP cornered them in debates and waged the election campaign with the spirit of overcoming their dirty attacks.

The number of JCP members increased in Nagano and Tokushima prefectural assemblies, where positive political changes are taking place. The achievement suggests that it is possible for us to achieve a JCP advance if we seek in earnest to cooperate with non-party people.

The JCP lost its seats in six prefectural assemblies in Tochigi, Aichi, Mie, Tottori, Saga, and Miyazaki. On the other hand, it is notable that the JCP won seats in Ishikawa, Shimane, and Kumamoto prefectural assemblies where there had been no JCP seats.

Those results show that in the first half of the elections the JCP gained a valuable foothold for an offensive to turn the tide toward a JCP advance.

Let's have confidence in and learn lessons from the achievement and set out for a counter-offensive and increase the number of JCP votes and local assembly members in the second half of the elections.

(4) In the first half of the elections, there were weaknesses in party leadership and activities.
We will leave off comprehensive analyses for now because the latter half of the elections are coming up. However, an immediate lesson we learnt from the first half of the elections is that we should acknowledge that the amount of our total activities, including publicity and organization, were not enough throughout the election campaign.

For example, compared with the 1999 elections, the number of people we reached for discussions during the campaign was 75 percent of that in the previous election. We have put emphasis on activities to develop "dialogues face to face" with people at the grassroots level. This is meaningful as one of our achievements and we should keep striving for further development of these dialogues. In fact, it is true that we came up to the voting day with an insufficient amount of communication with voters. We should have reached out to all voters using every possible means, including phone calls. Facing the fact that our lack of efforts caused an unfortunate setback in the JCP strength in local governments, we must exert all our might to make a great leap in the second half of the elections.

Now, the second half of the simultaneous local elections is approaching. The voting date is April 13. In these elections, the JCP is putting up 2,310 candidates in 1,182 municipalities. Putting the last lesson to good use, in order to win the victory of all JCP candidates, let's do everything in our power! We call on all JCP members to make continuous efforts and ask JCP supporters and members of the JCP supporters' associations for cooperation. (end)