November 14, 2025
Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Ogata Yasuo spoke at the 15th World Socialism Forum which took place on November 3 and 4 in Beijing and which was hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
In the forum, 90 scholars and political party representatives from 35 countries and 100 Chinese researchers exchanged views on the theme, “At the Crossroads of World History: The Choice of All Nations.”
The full text of Ogata’s statement is as follows:
Deepening Contradictions of Capitalism and Karl Marx: Insights from Our Party’s Theoretical Practice
Ogata Yasuo
Vice Chair, Japanese Communist Party
Former Member of the House of Councillors of Japan
I would like to speak on the theme of “Deepening Contradictions of Capitalism and Karl Marx: Insights from Our Party’s Theoretical Practice.” In doing so, I will also share some experiences from our party’s theoretical work. Eighty years after the end of the Second World War, the world once again stands at a crossroads between war and peace. At the same time, we are facing a historic turning point brought about by the deepening crisis of the capitalist system.
I. The Worsening Negative Impacts under Neoliberalism
Today, the contradictions of capitalism have reached a new stage.
First, inequality has grown both within countries and between countries. Wealth and power are concentrated in a handful of giant corporations and financial institutions, and this is destroying democracy and the balance of society itself.
Second, we face an environmental crisis driven by climate change and the depletion of resources. The very conditions for the survival of our planet are now at risk, and this is a pressing challenge that every nation must confront.
The financial crisis of 2008 marked a turning point. The G7-centered order collapsed, and with the rise of the Global South, the G20 emerged. Yet even now, the capitalist powers have failed to present any fundamental solution, and the system remains deadlocked.
II. A Renewed Interest in Marx’s Theory
In this situation, there has been a renewed attention to Marx’s theory across the world.
In the United States, which declared “victory for capitalism” after the collapse of the Soviet Union, many people now face poverty and the denial of human dignity in a society that was supposed to be built on the ideal of freedom. More and more, they are turning to Marx for answers to the question: why is this happening? Some even try to find in Marx’s idea of freedom a new possibility for American society. This is what has been called a “Marx boom.”
At the same time, in the Global South, social movements against inequality and struggles to overcome the climate crisis are searching for alternatives to capitalism. In these movements, Marx’s theory is again showing its power to provide guidance.
III. Our Party’s Path of Social Transformation and Theoretical Exploration
Japan is no exception. Once our country accounted for 18 percent of the world’s GDP, but today that figure has fallen to only 4 percent.
Under these conditions, poverty among the populace has deepened, driven by long working hours and low wages. At the root of this situation lies a political structure distorted by the dominance of big business as well as by subordination to the interests of the United States.
- The struggle to overcome the contradictions we face
In Japan, our path of social transformation aims to achieve a democratic revolution that resolves these two root problems. On that basis, we seek to advance step by step toward socialist transformation.
Quite a few people agree with our policies for solving the urgent problems they face, but they still hold doubts about the nature of socialist society itself. Yet, because they directly experience the contradictions of capitalism, they are compelled to look at the roots of exploitation and injustice. This makes them more open to coming to an understanding of socialism as a society without exploitation. This awareness is, in a sense, a distinctive feature of Japan.
- The perspective of a future society under Japan’s conditions
Our party places great importance on discussing the vision of the future in light of Japan’s current conditions. We already have a high level of productive power, mechanisms for social regulation and management of the economy, and democratic institutions such as the parliament. As Marx pointed out, the conditions for a future society are prepared within the womb of capitalism itself.
Our party program makes three points clear: first, that every stage of socialist transformation must be based on the consent of the people; second, that in the socialization of the means of production, producers themselves must play the leading role; and third, that the market economy should be introduced as the law-governed trajectory of socialist development. These guidelines provide a practical foundation that connects the immediate solutions to pressing social issues with the broader perspective of building socialism.
- The movement to study Capital
As part of our theoretical exploration, our party has placed special emphasis on activities centered on Karl Marx’s Capital. Recently, our party chair, SHII Kazuo, delivered two lectures at seminars organized by a youth organization.
The first lecture was titled “Communism and Freedom — Guided by Capital.” It explained that what is taken away by capitalist exploitation is not only material goods or money. By ending exploitation, working hours can be reduced, and all people can gain sufficient free time. This free time is the key to guaranteeing the free and all-round development of every human being, as clarified in Capital.
The second lecture was titled “Why Capital Is Fascinating Today — Studying the Present and the Future with Marx.” It introduced the essence of Volume I of Capital. It clarified the economic laws of motion of capitalist society and showed that the fundamental solution to capitalist exploitation requires a transformation to a socialist system. It also emphasized that the development of the working class, as the force that transforms the old order, is the driving power of social change. By connecting these points with the concrete issues we face today, the lecture shed light on both the present and the future. Both of these books are being widely shared together as “books of transformation and hope.”
Of course, explaining the entirety of Capital is not easy. That is why we encourage progressive-minded people to read the original text, and to make this possible we completed a new Japanese edition four years ago. Using this as a guide, together with the two lecture texts, we have advanced a study movement across our whole party. As a party that has long pursued the study of Marxism and worked to strengthen our theoretical foundation, we are now calling for a “movement to read Capital” both inside and outside the party. This includes not only the study of lectures but also open street gatherings where we engage in dialogue about socialism with ordinary citizens. These theoretical activities are not confined to study alone; they play a practical role in giving real strength to labor struggles and social movements.
IV. Conclusion
The forces that block the path of transformation are enormous and powerful. Even when the objective conditions of capitalism’s deepening contradictions are present, there can be no real advance in social change without the subjective conditions — the support of the people, the strength of the party, and the growth of forces working together.
This is why the strengthening of theory is a strategic task for building our party. The endeavor to achieve social transformation toward socialism in Japan, an advanced capitalist country, is an uncharted path for humanity. We are determined to carry this hopeful endeavor forward, to advance the cause of socialism worldwide, and to open the way to a new future for humankind.
Thank you.
In the forum, 90 scholars and political party representatives from 35 countries and 100 Chinese researchers exchanged views on the theme, “At the Crossroads of World History: The Choice of All Nations.”
The full text of Ogata’s statement is as follows:
Deepening Contradictions of Capitalism and Karl Marx: Insights from Our Party’s Theoretical Practice
Ogata Yasuo
Vice Chair, Japanese Communist Party
Former Member of the House of Councillors of Japan
I would like to speak on the theme of “Deepening Contradictions of Capitalism and Karl Marx: Insights from Our Party’s Theoretical Practice.” In doing so, I will also share some experiences from our party’s theoretical work. Eighty years after the end of the Second World War, the world once again stands at a crossroads between war and peace. At the same time, we are facing a historic turning point brought about by the deepening crisis of the capitalist system.
I. The Worsening Negative Impacts under Neoliberalism
Today, the contradictions of capitalism have reached a new stage.
First, inequality has grown both within countries and between countries. Wealth and power are concentrated in a handful of giant corporations and financial institutions, and this is destroying democracy and the balance of society itself.
Second, we face an environmental crisis driven by climate change and the depletion of resources. The very conditions for the survival of our planet are now at risk, and this is a pressing challenge that every nation must confront.
The financial crisis of 2008 marked a turning point. The G7-centered order collapsed, and with the rise of the Global South, the G20 emerged. Yet even now, the capitalist powers have failed to present any fundamental solution, and the system remains deadlocked.
II. A Renewed Interest in Marx’s Theory
In this situation, there has been a renewed attention to Marx’s theory across the world.
In the United States, which declared “victory for capitalism” after the collapse of the Soviet Union, many people now face poverty and the denial of human dignity in a society that was supposed to be built on the ideal of freedom. More and more, they are turning to Marx for answers to the question: why is this happening? Some even try to find in Marx’s idea of freedom a new possibility for American society. This is what has been called a “Marx boom.”
At the same time, in the Global South, social movements against inequality and struggles to overcome the climate crisis are searching for alternatives to capitalism. In these movements, Marx’s theory is again showing its power to provide guidance.
III. Our Party’s Path of Social Transformation and Theoretical Exploration
Japan is no exception. Once our country accounted for 18 percent of the world’s GDP, but today that figure has fallen to only 4 percent.
Under these conditions, poverty among the populace has deepened, driven by long working hours and low wages. At the root of this situation lies a political structure distorted by the dominance of big business as well as by subordination to the interests of the United States.
- The struggle to overcome the contradictions we face
In Japan, our path of social transformation aims to achieve a democratic revolution that resolves these two root problems. On that basis, we seek to advance step by step toward socialist transformation.
Quite a few people agree with our policies for solving the urgent problems they face, but they still hold doubts about the nature of socialist society itself. Yet, because they directly experience the contradictions of capitalism, they are compelled to look at the roots of exploitation and injustice. This makes them more open to coming to an understanding of socialism as a society without exploitation. This awareness is, in a sense, a distinctive feature of Japan.
- The perspective of a future society under Japan’s conditions
Our party places great importance on discussing the vision of the future in light of Japan’s current conditions. We already have a high level of productive power, mechanisms for social regulation and management of the economy, and democratic institutions such as the parliament. As Marx pointed out, the conditions for a future society are prepared within the womb of capitalism itself.
Our party program makes three points clear: first, that every stage of socialist transformation must be based on the consent of the people; second, that in the socialization of the means of production, producers themselves must play the leading role; and third, that the market economy should be introduced as the law-governed trajectory of socialist development. These guidelines provide a practical foundation that connects the immediate solutions to pressing social issues with the broader perspective of building socialism.
- The movement to study Capital
As part of our theoretical exploration, our party has placed special emphasis on activities centered on Karl Marx’s Capital. Recently, our party chair, SHII Kazuo, delivered two lectures at seminars organized by a youth organization.
The first lecture was titled “Communism and Freedom — Guided by Capital.” It explained that what is taken away by capitalist exploitation is not only material goods or money. By ending exploitation, working hours can be reduced, and all people can gain sufficient free time. This free time is the key to guaranteeing the free and all-round development of every human being, as clarified in Capital.
The second lecture was titled “Why Capital Is Fascinating Today — Studying the Present and the Future with Marx.” It introduced the essence of Volume I of Capital. It clarified the economic laws of motion of capitalist society and showed that the fundamental solution to capitalist exploitation requires a transformation to a socialist system. It also emphasized that the development of the working class, as the force that transforms the old order, is the driving power of social change. By connecting these points with the concrete issues we face today, the lecture shed light on both the present and the future. Both of these books are being widely shared together as “books of transformation and hope.”
Of course, explaining the entirety of Capital is not easy. That is why we encourage progressive-minded people to read the original text, and to make this possible we completed a new Japanese edition four years ago. Using this as a guide, together with the two lecture texts, we have advanced a study movement across our whole party. As a party that has long pursued the study of Marxism and worked to strengthen our theoretical foundation, we are now calling for a “movement to read Capital” both inside and outside the party. This includes not only the study of lectures but also open street gatherings where we engage in dialogue about socialism with ordinary citizens. These theoretical activities are not confined to study alone; they play a practical role in giving real strength to labor struggles and social movements.
IV. Conclusion
The forces that block the path of transformation are enormous and powerful. Even when the objective conditions of capitalism’s deepening contradictions are present, there can be no real advance in social change without the subjective conditions — the support of the people, the strength of the party, and the growth of forces working together.
This is why the strengthening of theory is a strategic task for building our party. The endeavor to achieve social transformation toward socialism in Japan, an advanced capitalist country, is an uncharted path for humanity. We are determined to carry this hopeful endeavor forward, to advance the cause of socialism worldwide, and to open the way to a new future for humankind.
Thank you.
