June 25, 2026

Japanese Communist Party Central Committee Chair Shii Kazuo on June 24 received a visit at the JCP head office by Nick Watkins of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) International Committee and Kylara Triel of a DSA chapter in Snohomish County in Washington.

Shii expressed his heartfelt welcome to the DSA activists for their first visit since the establishment of JCP-DSA cooperative relations which was agreed upon in talks held in May in New York City. Pointing out that the DSA has made a great showing in recent U.S. elections such as the Washington DC mayoral primary, Shii said that he hopes that the DSA will achieve a victory in primary races where voters select their party’s nominees for the November congressional midterm elections.

Shii mentioned that Watkins is actively working on the issue of U.S. military bases abroad. He said, “It is important that the DSA in its program calls for opposing a military buildup, closing U.S. overseas military bases, and bringing U.S. troops home.” He noted that the DSA International Committee in its message sent to a peace symposium held on June 6 in Okinawa criticized the 1945 U.S. atomic bombings as “abhorrent acts that must never again be repeated in human history”. “I was pleased to hear that you condemned the atomic bombings in the message,” Shii said.

Watkins pointed out that information regarding the negative impact of U.S. military bases does not readily reach ordinary young people and workers, which is a problem, and said that working on awareness-raising activities is important. Touching on the issue of the abolition of nuclear weapons, Watkins said that among the major political movements in the U.S., the DSA is the only organization that advocates for nuclear abolition.

The two DSA activists also talked with JCP Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko and other JCP officials. Tamura expressed her intent to promote communications with the DSA. Topics dealt with in the talks included door-to-door canvassing in the U.S., the use of social media, and organizational development efforts.

Past related articles:
> DSA sends message in solidarity to anti-base Okinawans [June 7, 2026]
> JCP CC Chair Shii holds talks with US left-wing progressive organization in NYC [May 1-May 5, 2026]