Japan Press Weekly

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2026 January 21 - 27 [JCP]

JCP and PCF international affairs chiefs hold talks online

Japanese Communist Party International Commission Chair Ogata Yasuo (JCP vice chair) on January 20 held talks online with Vincent Boulet who is in charge of the French Communist Party (PCF) international relations.

Ogata explained that the Takaichi government’s policies excessively hinge on the United States and put large corporations first. He talked about the political landscape surrounding the snap general election scheduled for February 8 and the JCP’s election policy.

Boulet said that Europe is experiencing a growing alliance between traditional right-wing and far-right parties, which he says is the manifestation of the crisis of capitalism. He also said that in France, the Macron administration, while reaching an impasse, is developing authoritarian attitudes and approaching the position of far-right forces.

The JCP and PCF international affairs chiefs criticized the U.S. Trump administration’s “power politics” seeking to expand the “sphere of U.S. influence” by saying that it ignores the UN Charter and international law as evidenced by the U.S. invasion of Venezuela and Trump’s naked ambition to acquire Greenland. They exchanged views on the situation where Trump’s policies have been causing frictions in Japan and in Europe.

Regarding the Gaza issue, the two shared the recognition that it is important to force Israel to stop its genocide in Gaza as well as to have the Gaza peace plan ensure Palestinians’ right to self-determination.

Ogata and his French counterpart confirmed that the JCP and the PCF, under the current situation, will promote exchanges in various areas, including theory, and further strengthen communication between the two parties.