Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The new head of the Japanese Communist Party, TAMURA Tomoko, described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “tragic” in a press conference on Wednesday and said Israel must implement the UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.

“The situation is very worrying, and we need to achieve an immediate breakthrough to improve it, and make it a permanent ceasefire as soon as possible,” Tamura said.

Tamura criticized Japanese Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA Yoko’s reluctance to condemn the atrocities Israel is committing in Gaza, saying: “Kamikawa was critical of Hamas but had no desire to express clear criticism of Israel and its practices. Minister Kamikawa has adopted the position of the Japanese government, which did not even use the phrase ‘ceasefire’ in the first few months.”

The head of the opposition Communist Party added that if Kamikawa becomes prime minister, “I do not think that she will be able to change policies and move away from Japan’s blind following of the policies of the United States.”

Tamura recently became the first woman to assume the presidency of the Japanese Communist Party and presented in the press conference her vision for what she described as “a completely different Japan, especially ending the military alliance with the United States,” which has about 60,000 soldiers stationed on Japanese territory in several military bases.

“The type of reform required in Japan is first and foremost to end the policy of following the United States, because it is no longer acceptable, and to switch instead to diplomacy based on the principles of the Japanese Constitution,” Tamura said. 

She criticized the way in which the government of Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio accepts the demands of American forces unconditionally, such as the resumption of Osprey flights after their recent (fatal) crash and the refusal to allow Japanese authorities to investigate crimes and accidents on American bases. 

Tamura also criticized the government’s decision to allow Japan “the right to joint defense with other countries, to possess offensive capabilities to strike enemy bases, and to double military spending,” as well as lifting the ban on the export of lethal weapons and combat aircraft. 

“The government claims that strengthening the Japan-US military alliance will serve as a deterrent and protect Japan,” Tamura said. “But deterrence means using fear to discourage the other party. This will accelerate the vicious circle between one army and another, which will increase military tension in Northeast Asia and make the people of Japan less safe, even exposing them to the risk of war.” 

Tamura said she views the recent financial scandals in the Liberal Democratic Party as “organized crime,” stressing the need to stop giving priority to commercial interests, but rather to adopt an economic system that respects human rights. 

“The current scandals (related to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party) are nothing but collusion between the Liberal Democratic Party and businesses,” Tamura stated. “Popular anger is boiling, and it cannot now be said that the Liberal Democratic Party is qualified to be the ruling party in Japan.” 

She said that the key to change is creating an economic system that guarantees citizens’ livelihoods and rights. 

“The kind of reform we need is what we can call a democratic revolution,” Tamura said. “We need a way to essentially break away from the US-Japan military alliance and instead gain true independence as a nation.”