The New Socialist Party (NSP) will hold the 21st Party Congress in Tokyo on March 5 and 6. The Abe government is resolute to wage intensified campaigns to revise the Peace Constitution, envisaging the election of the House of Councilors to be held in summer. The party commemorates the 20th anniversary of its foundation this year, which is defined as a decisive moment of struggles for endurance and raisons-d’etre. Let’s debate issues to consolidate new strategies.


20TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDATION ? RECONSTRUCT STRUGGLES TO DEFEND CONSTITUTION


The NSP will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its foundation in March. It has lost the five founding members of the Diet to diminish influence over national level politics. It has financial difficulties, too. Under these circumstances, however, the NSP members have fought with all might up to today.


We face various problems that threaten lives and livelihood as well as the rights of people: implementation of the war legislation, reoperation of nuclear power plants, attempts to build up a new US military base at Henoko, Okinawa, agreement on TPP initiative and aggravated labor-related laws.


Burden transferred to next generations


The most fundamental duty of the NSP is the July election of the House of Councilors (simultaneous elections with that of the House of Representatives are anticipated).


At the moment in the Lower House over 2/3 of the members represent forces to favor amendment of the Constitution. Premier Abe, who clings to revising constitution, could put his agenda on the concrete political schedule, if enough ones which exceed 2/3 of the seats are gained in the Upper House by pro-amendment members. If the Constitution should be revised, the key constitutional principles would collapse and the nation’s foundation would be undermined.


In other words, a different society will emerge in which coming generations, young people and children, will involve in warfare in which they might kill or be killed abroad. Furthermore, they will be left adrift in poverty and inequality. They will be obliged to accept them as a fait accompli to give up. We are determined not to hand over to coming generations a society filled with ravage, poverty and inequality.


Unfortunately the NSP is unable at the moment to run own candidates in the coming election. However, the party has dedicated itself in struggles to defend the Constitution since the foundation to accumulate strength. We have recognized a fact that various strata of people as well as young people firmly oppose the government’s policy to make the nation be ready for a war, which was confirmed in the midst the nationwide protest movements against the war legislation last year.


People not affiliated to specific political parties and groups raise voices nowadays. It is hard to overwhelm candidates from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Komeito, if the opposition camp is split. If all of opposition parties, unaffiliated individuals and those who have good sense get united to be ‘one entity’, the LDP-Komeito camp can be beaten.


Get United Against LDP-Komeito Camp


Now the Peace Constitution stands on the verge of crisis. What we should do is to defeat LDP-Komeito candidates with all strength by way of a united front against them to thwart the stormy tide of constitution amendment. The NSP is ready to support candidates in the constituencies where a single party, for instance, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the Communist Party and the Social-Democratic Party, is capable independently to defeat LDP-Komeito candidates.


Let’s run a commonly supported candidate with the maximum efforts in a constituency where a single political party is unable to overpower the ruling party candidates. Let’s work hard to make them triumph. Let’s reconstruct a front to defend the Constitution through united struggles. These are tasks that the NSP is assigned to do at the moment.


Dear readers of our newspaper, we wait for your opinions and proposals in the coming Congress. We expect sincere support for a successful Party Congress.


February 9, 2016