August 16, 2025

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on August 15 spoke at the National Liberation Day of Korea (Gwangbokjeol) ceremony hosted by the Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan) in Tokyo to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule.

Koike said, “Japan should make its reflection on its past war of aggression and colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula the foundation of Japan-South Korea relations,” for which he received a loud round of applause.

He emphasized the importance of three documents: the 1993 Kono Statement which admits to the Japanese military’s involvement and coercion regarding the “comfort women” issue; the 1995 Murayama Statement which expresses remorse and apology for Japan’s colonial rule and aggression; and the 1998 Tokyo-Seoul Joint Declaration which expresses remorse for Japan’s colonial rule over South Korea. However, Koike said, “Subsequent Japanese politics saw a disregard of these documents.”

He stated that Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru should address this reversal and clearly affirm the continuation of adherence to these three documents.

Furthermore, Koike pointed out that xenophobic and extreme right-wing tendencies, which direct anger and dissatisfaction toward people with foreign roots as well as immigrants, stem from a lack of reflection on the past war of aggression and colonial rule.

He stated, “Fanning discriminative sentiments against people with foreign roots, including Korean residents in Japan, is an act that tramples on human rights and democracy, and must never be tolerated. As a party with a history of solidarity with Koreans and other Asians since before the war as well as a history of resistance against Japan’s aggression and colonial rule, the JCP will resolutely oppose such trends.”

He also stated that the JCP will continue to work across party lines on revising the Immigration Control Act which allows for the revocation of permanent residency status, eradicating hate speech and hate crimes, and granting local voting rights to permanent foreign residents.

Regarding the cooperation of Japanese with South Korean citizens in collecting the remains of forced laborers from Korea during the war at the Chosei Coal Mine (Ube City, Yamaguchi Pref.), Koike said that he raised the issue in the Diet and received a response from PM Ishiba that the government would consider what kind of support it should provide.

He expressed his determination to continue striving for further friendship between Japan and South Korea and for the realization of a society of coexistence.