Ichida: Post LDP-Komei politics hinges on JCP advance in general election

Japan Press Weekly

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

Ichida: Post LDP-Komei politics hinges on JCP advance in general election

On July 19, the day before the dissolution of the House of Representatives for a general election, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on an NHK political debate program aired live said, "It's going to be an election in which the main issue is which political direction Japan might take. We will strive to pass a decisively critical verdict on LDP-Komei policies."

Ichida stressed that the JCP, which has consistently opposed LDP-Komei policies, will contribute to ending the era of LDP-Komei politics and set the tone of post-election policies.

Referring to the confusion within the LDP over whether Prime Minister Aso Taro should resign or not, Ichida said it is an ugly inner-party struggle in completely disregard of the needs of the people, thinking only about possible effects on election results.

Ichida said that the fundamental question is that the LDP is unable to make either a self-criticism of the failure of its policies or propose alternatives.

As to what the government replacing the LDP-Komei government should be like, Ichida said as follows: "The Worker Dispatch Law treating workers as disposable tools should be drastically amended and social services system should cover everyone in need of using them. At the international level, Japan should uphold Article 9 of its Constitution, take the initiative for eliminating nuclear weapons, and move away from giving top priority to the Japan-U.S. alliance to seeking a peaceful diplomacy of resolving disputes through negotiations."

- Akahata, July 20, 2009