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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

JCP's indomitable 84 years and the 21st Century
Akahata editorial

The Japanese Communist Party celebrated its 84th founding anniversary on July 15.

The JCP takes pride in its consistency in history before and after the war.

Since its founding 84 years ago, the JCP has stood firmly for freedom, peace, and democracy based on the principle that "citizens are the key players." This is how the JCP has contributed to social progress in the 20th Century and is continuing to struggle in the 21st Century.

Consistent struggles in pre- and post-war periods

In Japan, in the first half of the 20th Century, people were arrested just for stating something critical of the Emperor or in opposition to the war. The JCP came into being in opposition to the despotic rule of the emperor system and to call for the establishment of the principle that sovereign power rests in the people while opposing wars of aggression. Refusing to succumb to the persecution, our predecessors defended their cause to the death.

The principles of people's sovereignty and lasting peace were established in the Japanese Constitution after World War II. These are accomplishments of the JCP's indomitable pre-war struggles.

The significant of the JCP history is even greater in the light of the present situation in which there is a move to justify the past war of aggression.

The issue of Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro's visits to Yasukuni Shrine is tantamount to the government endorsing Yasukuni's historical view justifying the war of aggression, which we must not allow. The JCP's proposal for a breakaway from the anachronism of Yasukuni's view of history has been positively received both in Japan and internationally, and has influenced public opinion.

The JCP can criticize the government policy of affirming the Yasukuni view because its position is based on its life and death opposition to Japan's war of aggression and colonial rule.

Some Liberal Democratic and Democratic Party dietmembers publicly speak in support of "Yasukuni's view of history." The root cause of their attitude is the "continuation" of the pre-war policies in which political parties that promoted the war of aggression, including the Political Friends Society (Seiyukai), the Democracy Party (Minsei-to), and the Social Masses Party (Shakai Taishu-to), changed their names after the war and continued to occupy positions of power in post-war politics.

At the same time, the JCP, true to the principle of struggling to eradicate the root cause of the people's sufferings, has put forward a plan of "remaking Japan" to put an end to the pro-U.S. and pro-big business LDP politics that has been strengthened under the Koizumi cabinet.

The JCP is the only party that confronts the LDP policies. Through changes of alignment of political parties since 1993, all parties except the JCP have supported LDP policies. No wonder they are unable to change the foundation of an undemocratic political system.

The JCP's 84 years are colored with indomitable efforts to confront and break through difficulties. The growth and success of the JCP will pave the way for a genuine change in Japanese politics.

With the people at grassroots level

The JCP Program analyses the current situation and envisages the future of Japan and the world with a long-term perspective. The JCP has a membership of 400,000, with 24,000 branches and the Akahata newspaper linking the party with people at the grassroots level.

Building on the JCP's 84-year history, we are determined to further cooperate with the people in making efforts to replace LDP politics with a new kind of politics in which "citizens are the key players."
- Akahata, July 15, 2006