On
the same day when 30 thousands of people gathered around the Diet building to
condemn the Abe government, shouting loudly ‘Step down Abe’ and ‘Resignation en
masse’, the New Socialist Party held the 23rd Party Convention. The
Abe government had stayed on the offensive in attacking Article Nine of the
Constitution, but now has come a turning point – time of our counterattacks.
The party convention unanimously agreed on fortifying struggles to defend the Constitution
and people’ lives.
LET’S
ENHANCE STRUGGLES FOR CONSTITUTION AND PEOPLE’S LIVES!
It
is twenty years since the New Socialist Party lost seats in the parliament. The
23rd convention reviewed struggles for the year 2017: the party
committed in the general election, the 30 million signature collection
campaign, struggles against nuclear power generation and campaigns to support
victims of the earthquake and subsequent nuclear disaster, solidarity actions
with Okinawa and labor union activities in the
local communities. Participants across the country reported their activities
and experiences. New comers joined the party.
Let’s
drive out Premier Abe!
People’s
struggles have driven the Abe government to the last ditch after the school
scandals were disclosed. But simple replacement of Premier Abe does not solve
anything. Poverty and inequality have prevailed, which leads suffering and
dissatisfied people toward a direction of reactionary politics. This fact poses
a problem.
From
the context of European values, the Abe government is regarded as ultra-right.
Refusal of accepting immigrants, which implies a rightist character, is
encouraged by European extreme-rightists.
The
Abe government provokes frictions with neighboring countries, enkindles confrontation
in the Korean Peninsula and inflames sentiment of
people toward waging a war and consolidates the US-Japan military alliance,
taking advantage of the changing situation.
Let’s
listen to People’s voices! Let’s elaborate our words and phrases!
Secretary
General of the New Socialist Party, responding to the opinions presented during
the convention, asked for party members to listen to voices of people, who
suffer from poverty and uncertainties, sincerely and carefully with sympathy.
He continued to say that party members should learn party policies concretely
in order to get keen to people’s hopes.
As
far as a verbal expression is concerned, the Abe government is so smart that
people are lured with a slim hope that it may do better politics. In the recent
mayoral election in Nago City, Okinawa, the
ruling parties staged well-prepared campaigns; first they praised the incumbent
Mayor for his solid activities disregarding his position of anti-US bases, and
then, they turned him down in a tricky manner.
Everyone
wants to work and live with human dignity, which is natural. But the desire is completely
shattered today.
Irregular
employment and long-hour working practices prevail to secure profits of 1% of
the population. Social security costs surge, while services aggravate. Taxes on
big corporations and the rich have gone down, while revenues from the consumption
tax have filled the gap. How could people be aware of this tax structure?
Mass
movements are the key to win people’s trust in the policies. That is to share
struggles in common.
Electorate
– Sovereign of State Politics
The
signature collection campaign is not easy to accomplish, as people in general
have been manipulated with disinformation on the issues of Korean Peninsula.
We, party members, must listen to voices of people and talk with them about
topics they are interested in. Without this kind of activities, the planned
referendum on Constitution amendment may be lost on the side of people.
In
coming year of 2019 elections are scheduled for municipalities and the House of
Councilors. Even though joint struggle of the opposition parties is difficult,
we cannot give it up only after criticizing other political parties. The only
way is to pile up activities and movements to let people understand a fact that
elections will fail without joint struggles of the opposition forces. The state’s
politics belongs to every one of sovereign people.
The
electorate cannot be dormant as far as their right is concerned. If big
political parties are not trustworthy, we ourselves must field candidates in
the elections and be involved in the electoral campaigns. If big trade unions
cannot be reliable, local unions must commit in movements to defend the rights
of workers. We must raise voices to defend the rights. Politics exists to
ensure the rights of sovereign people.
May
1, 2018
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