Campaigns for the 48th General Election of the House of Representatives start October 10. After the prime minister’s announcement to dissolve the parliament on September 28, the Democratic Party has merged to the Kibo-no-to (= Party of Hope). It is probable that the Diet may be filled with two big parties which demand to rewrite the Constitution. The New Socialist Party fields a candidate in the Election District No.9 of Hyogo Prefecture and campaigns to support other candidates across the nation who object revision of the Constitution and defend people’s livelihood. We will do the best.


LET’S REVERSE POLITICAL TREND THROUGH GENERAL ELECTION!


The focal point of the general election is the Constitution. Many of the candidates from the former Democratic Party will represent the new party, the Party of Hope, after being screened: they were forced to admit revision of the Constitution and consent to the war legislation. There exist certain political forces inside the Democratic Party and affiliated organizations that attempt to split cooperation between the opposition parties and civic groups. The objective is to establish a two-big-party system.


Some say that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo manages too violently and that counter offensive forces are necessary to put brake on him, but that is not right.


If the said scenario is applied to the election, the House of Representatives will be held by the two big parties which sponsor constitution amendment. Other small parties agree with them, too. The Komei-to will lose time to hesitate concerning the Constitution issue. The Lower House will surely go further toward right till revision of the Constitution.


The Same Pattern of Privatization of Railway Corporation


The recent fusion of the ex-Democratic Party reminds us of the days of division and privatization of the National Railway Corporation 30 years ago. The dissolution of the company led to a group of privatized new companies, JRs. Workers were sorted out in accordance with ideological stances. Consequently, workers movements were diminished to lead to disintegration of the Sohyo, the General Council of Trade Unions of Japan. That impacted on the Socialist Party, too. Thus pro-Peace Constitution forces have been severely regressed. As you see today, we live in a society built up through these developments.


A liberal faction inside the Democratic Party, however, does not agree to the capitulated merger to the new party. A group of candidates will run, retaining their political credo. Constitutional opposition parties welcome the moves as they have worked jointly to collaborate in the elections. They coordinate candidates willingly in the constituencies to support each other, sharing candidates in common. Civic groups, too, hail their attitudes.


The New Socialist Party (NSP) solidly keeps accumulated reliable relations with locally-based civic organizations in many regions in the country. The Party discloses intentions of the political forces of Premier Abe and of the Party of Hope led by Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko to fight against them. Candidate Kikuchi Noriyuki in the No.9 District of Hyogo Prefecture stands at the forefront.


The social atmosphere is fed up with the Abe Government. The NSP hopes Premier Abe will play a similar role as UK Prime Minister Theresa May.


People feel unpleasant with the top leader of Party of Hope, Koike Yuriko, who uses ugly tactics and plays a heroine in her burlesque show.


Let’s Remove Abe Politics!


We have lived for 4 years and 9 months of the period of Abe government. Employment and livelihood of people have become more uneasy ? far from good, far from being improved. Only global enterprises and CEOs have become affluent as well as their investors. Furthermore, the Abe government has been eager to rewrite the Constitution and heightened tension with neighboring nations, formulating the country to be capable to stage a war against them.


Essential points we need in the politics are; to correct the unfair tax system and to reverse the current policy package for employment and social welfare so that people might overcome poverty to be liberated.


It is necessary to defend the right to live in peace. We must end the Abe’s plans to justify threats and military intervention over the Korean Peninsula issue. We must change today’s diplomacy in order to seek peaceful co-existence.


Limitation of capitalist development is clear. People are active in the countries in Europe and in US as well as Republic of Korea to frustrate the governments. We go forward together with these peoples.




October 10, 2017