July 11, 2026

Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Ogata Yasuo spoke in a session titled, “The Statement of the JCP’s Views and Exchange of Opinions”, held as part of the general assembly of the Left in the European Parliament (the Left) on July 7 in France’s Strasbourg.

In Strasbourg, the European Parliament plenary session took place between July 6 and July 9.

Chair of the general assembly Manon Aubry, who is a member of the France Unbowed (La France Insoumise) party and coheads the Left, introduced the JCP by saying that it is a leading communist party in Asia and places importance on its relations with Europe’s leftist forces. She said that the session had been arranged to facilitate exchanges on the occasion of Ogata’s visit to France.

Ogata, expressing his gratitude, stated that it was the first time for the JCP to be invited to an official meeting of the Left, which is an epoch-making event. He said that it is meaningful for both sides, which face common challenges, to get to know each other better, adding that he hopes to learn from Europe’s experiences.

Ogata stated that in Japan, a country with a deeply entrenched anti-communist dogma and a normalized culture of excessively long working hours, the JCP is advocating for “freely disposable time” for individual’s development and places a focus on fighting for a shorter workweek.

Furthermore, Ogata talked about the JCP’s views on domestic and international issues and the tasks the JCP is addressing. He discussed the potential for cooperation between the JCP and the left-wing forces in Europe, expressing his hope for the strengthening of cooperative ties.

Aubry stated that this session highlighted the significance of cooperation and the common grounds shared between the JCP and Europe’s left-wing forces regarding matters, such as opposing massive military expansion and militarism and supporting the struggle against right-wing governments.

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Ogata on July 7 and 8 in Strasbourg held talks with representatives of leftist parties in the European Parliament and the European Left Alliance for the People and the Planet, and exchanged views on the development of relations and further cooperation between the JCP and these forces.