No. 1401 Approaching Election for House of Councilors
It is planned to hold the regular election for the House of Councilors with voting on July 20, beginning with official campaigning on July 3. Dates of July 20 and July 21 are consecutive holidays. The government authority may expect a low voting rate. Some people say about a possibility of simultaneous elections, together with the one for the House of Representatives. Peace and democracy stand now at the brink of abyss. Our party, too, is at a crucial stage. Let’s fight with all our strength, fielding Candidate Kai Masayasu.
LET’S FIGHT JOINTLY AND WIN SUPPORTERS UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT!
General elections were held for the Lower House last year, when the ruling coalition bloc led by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was driven into a corner, failing in obtaining the majority. It was because of indignation of voters against the LDP’s money politics.
Implementation of policies in the so-called three security documents
Despite the loss on the side of coalition government, war-preparation measures have been advancing as the administration has carried out them under duress. Recently the Self Defense Forces (SDF) of Japan established the Joint Operation Command, which integrates the Ground, Maritime and Air SDF into a single unit to combine the military forces of the United States and Japan. The policies provided in the documents have been steadily implemented.
Currently, national security of Japan relies on, the rule of being taken to the hell, the US-Japan Alliance. Even the liberal, responsible for defending peace, are being caught up in the trend. A consumption tax rate reduction policy as well as the energy policy is regressing, while the nation is going straight to waging a war. It is said, depending on the results of the July election, a political reorganization will be made through a broader coalition government.
Joint struggles are essential in order to avert the path to the hell; we must fight for ‘No! to war and non-armament, de-nuclearization, and redistribution of incomes’ more resiliently than ever. Political parties and civic forces which appeal ‘military forces cannot build up peace’ and ‘without peace we cannot defend the human rights nor livelihood’ must go forward.
A focal point - Pro-Constitution forces
One of the focal points lies in whether the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which has served as a shield of defending the Constitution for long time, could maintain its political party status. ‘To secure’ the rank means vital not only to the SDP but also to civic movements which have engaged in the struggles to defend and implement the constitutional rules.
The New Socialist Party (NSP) concluded a policy agreement last year with the SDP to fight jointly in the election for the House of Councilors by enrolling NSP’s candidate Kai Masayasu, President, Dept. of Civic Movements, on the SDP’s list of proportional representation channel.
The coming July election means whether pro-Constitutional forces may keep and sustain the existence, or we could defend peace and people’s life, developing democracy or not.
Time is limited, let’s fight with all our might
Candidate Kai Masayasu, going boldly campaigning throughout the country, wins sympathy, which we have never seen, from our party members and friends, independent local assembly members and labor unions. Cordial links have been established with civic movements’ activists who worry about the today’s political realities.
Our daily efforts to be made in a coming three-month period are crucial to the said campaign results; that is whether our efforts could lead to victory in the July election or not.
Just before the Upper House election, in Tokyo, is scheduled the election for the Tokyo Local Assembly, balloting on June 22. Let’s fight with all our might, exerting utmost strength and utilizing potentials in all the fields, remembering the experiences of previous Upper House election three years ago. Let’s fight jointly and win further support from voters until the last moment!
参院選は７月３日公示、20日投票が有力だ。連休中の投票は低投票率狙いだが、衆参同日選も取り沙汰される。平和と民主主義は崖っ渕にあり、かい正康さんを擁立して戦う我が党も正念場だ。
昨年の衆院総選挙は金権政治への怒りが自民党に鉄槌を下し、与党を過半数割れに追い込んだ。
「３文書」の具体化
しかし、自公政権が強行してきた戦争準備政策は既成事実化されている。日米軍事一体化へ陸海空自衛隊を一元的に指揮する統合作戦司令部が設置されるなど「安保三文書」の具体化が着々と進行している。
日本の安全保障は「日米同盟基軸」という〝地獄の道連れ〟に平和主義を担うべきリベラル勢力も飲み込まれようとしている政治状況だ。消費税減税もエネルギー政策も逆行し、戦争ができる国家へと突き進み、参院選の結果次第では大連立も射程に政界再編もあると言われる。
〝地獄への道〟を阻むには、これまで以上に、不戦・非武装、脱原発、所得再分配を求める共同の闘いが重要である。
「武力で平和は実現できない」、「平和がなければ人権も生活も守れない」と訴える政党・政治勢力の前進が不可欠だ。
問われる護憲勢力
今次参院選では、長い間護憲勢力の結集軸の一翼を担ってきた社民党の「政党要件」が確保できるかどうかも突きつけられている。「確保」は社民党に止まらず、憲法を守り生かす闘いに注力している市民運動などにも大きな課題だ。
新社会党は昨年、社民党と政策協定を結び、25年参院選に党市民運動委員長かい正康さんを社民党比例名簿に登載して共同で戦うことを決定した。
参院選の帰趨(きすう)は、私たちがめざす憲法を活かし、平和と暮らしを守る護憲・民主主義勢力が存在を維持・継続できるかどうか決すると言っても過言ではない。
残る期間の奮闘で
全国を精力的に駆け廻っているかい正康予定候補は共感を拡げ、党員はもとより無所属自治体議員の皆さんや、労働組合にもこれまでにない支持をいただいている。現状を危惧する様々な市民運動の人々との連携も始まっている。
この前進を参院選勝利に導けるかどうかは、残る３カ月弱の私たちの奮闘にかかっている。
参院選の前には６月22日投票の東京都議選もある。前回参院選の反省を踏まえ、あらゆる戦いの場で持てる力を発揮・活用し、最後まで共闘と支持拡大に全力を上げよう。
英訳版↓
No. 1401 Approaching Election for House of Councilors
It is planned to hold the regular election for the House of Councilors with voting on July 20, beginning with official campaigning on July 3. Dates of July 20 and July 21 are consecutive holidays. The government authority may expect a low voting rate. Some people say about a possibility of simultaneous elections, together with the one for the House of Representatives. Peace and democracy stand now at the brink of abyss. Our party, too, is at a crucial stage. Let’s fight with all our strength, fielding Candidate Kai Masayasu.
LET’S FIGHT JOINTLY AND WIN SUPPORTERS UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT!
General elections were held for the Lower House last year, when the ruling coalition bloc led by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was driven into a corner, failing in obtaining the majority. It was because of indignation of voters against the LDP’s money politics.
Implementation of policies in the so-called three security documents
Despite the loss on the side of coalition government, war-preparation measures have been advancing as the administration has carried out them under duress. Recently the Self Defense Forces (SDF) of Japan established the Joint Operation Command, which integrates the Ground, Maritime and Air SDF into a single unit to combine the military forces of the United States and Japan. The policies provided in the documents have been steadily implemented.
Currently, national security of Japan relies on, the rule of being taken to the hell, the US-Japan Alliance. Even the liberal, responsible for defending peace, are being caught up in the trend. A consumption tax rate reduction policy as well as the energy policy is regressing, while the nation is going straight to waging a war. It is said, depending on the results of the July election, a political reorganization will be made through a broader coalition government.
Joint struggles are essential in order to avert the path to the hell; we must fight for ‘No! to war and non-armament, de-nuclearization, and redistribution of incomes’ more resiliently than ever. Political parties and civic forces which appeal ‘military forces cannot build up peace’ and ‘without peace we cannot defend the human rights nor livelihood’ must go forward.
A focal point - Pro-Constitution forces
One of the focal points lies in whether the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which has served as a shield of defending the Constitution for long time, could maintain its political party status. ‘To secure’ the rank means vital not only to the SDP but also to civic movements which have engaged in the struggles to defend and implement the constitutional rules.
The New Socialist Party (NSP) concluded a policy agreement last year with the SDP to fight jointly in the election for the House of Councilors by enrolling NSP’s candidate Kai Masayasu, President, Dept. of Civic Movements, on the SDP’s list of proportional representation channel.
The coming July election means whether pro-Constitutional forces may keep and sustain the existence, or we could defend peace and people’s life, developing democracy or not.
Time is limited, let’s fight with all our might
Candidate Kai Masayasu, going boldly campaigning throughout the country, wins sympathy, which we have never seen, from our party members and friends, independent local assembly members and labor unions. Cordial links have been established with civic movements’ activists who worry about the today’s political realities.
Our daily efforts to be made in a coming three-month period are crucial to the said campaign results; that is whether our efforts could lead to victory in the July election or not.
Just before the Upper House election, in Tokyo, is scheduled the election for the Tokyo Local Assembly, balloting on June 22. Let’s fight with all our might, exerting utmost strength and utilizing potentials in all the fields, remembering the experiences of previous Upper House election three years ago. Let’s fight jointly and win further support from voters until the last moment!
May 7, 2025