January 9, 2026

Ogata Yasuo, vice chair of the Japanese Communist Party and head of its International Commission, visited the Cuban Embassy in Tokyo on January 8 and held talks with Ambassador Gisela Garcia.

They exchanged views on the U.S. Trump administration’s invasion of Venezuela and the current situation in Latin America, and discussed the need to strengthen dialogue and cooperation.

Ogata explained the JCP’s stance on the U.S. aggression against Venezuela, which the JCP believes constitutes a clear violation of international law, and on the U.S. attempt to revive an outdated concept that the Western Hemisphere is an exclusive U.S. sphere of influence. He noted that Cuba plays an important regional role, citing the 2014 Havana Declaration of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Summit which calls for the mutual respect for the sovereignty of independent nations, the non-use of force, and the abolition of nuclear weapons.

The ambassador explained the current situation in Cuba, stating that “more dialogue is needed” in today’s world, especially as the global situation is becoming increasingly dangerous following the U.S. strikes on Venezuela. She expressed Cuba’s commitment to overcoming the difficulties caused by the longstanding U.S. economic blockade.

Both sides emphasized the necessity of cooperation to uphold the UN Charter and international law and to push back against the retrograde move by the U.S. Trump administration.

Ogata expressed his gratitude to the ambassador for paying her respects to the late Fuwa Tetsuzo, former JCP Central Committee chair.