A call has been made by a group of people from various fields to establish a common entity for elections, hoping to nourish a consistent, pro-constitutional political forces; the Common Table has been created as a concrete form. The founders are aspired to enhance universal struggles of constitutional opposition forces and help their advance. The New Socialist Party sincerely welcomes the intention and commitments.
A CALL TO FORM CIVIC ENTITY BASED ON CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES
The civic entity, Common Table, recently issued a Declaration to Establish Security of People’s Lives – Free Ourselves from Society of Unstable Workforce. Their assertions are clearly expressed in the statement.
Let’s foster social networks
The group calls to the public to get united among forces that can fight against the society of unstable workforce, the government’s unilateral enforcement to construct new military bases in Okinawa, instigation of a hostile ideology to People’s Republic of China and continuation of nuclear power generation; this is the common stance to observe the constitutional principles. The Common Table testifies that politics will go to conservative, if the constitutional principles are evaded. Founding members, including Mr. Sataka Mokoto, a well-known political critic, are active cultural people.
Their aspiration lies in a fact that the re-organized Social Democratic Party (SDP) has launched a policy to consolidate itself with other political parties, groups and civic organizations whose basic policy can be shared in common. The SDP calls to the NSP and the Greens Japan and other liberal, progressive forces to change politics of the country. Simultaneously, it helps to move people’s network forward.
Some of the members of the SDP did not merge into the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) so as to maintain the SDP, seeking for an independent path, and the SDP has pronounced the policy of common struggle. This fact, seemingly, has triggered the founders of Common Table to take action, who worry about conversion of opposition forces solely to the CDP and the Japanese Communist Party (JCP).
A new political front has been expected to emerge; so that people could fight against the National Referendum Act and for détente between the United States and China, implementing Article Nine of the Constitution (which prohibits Japan to wage a war). People need an explicit plan to reduce the consumption tax rate and termination of nuclear power generation. The opposition parties, however, are not got united at the moment on these agenda and some people do not welcome the JCP in the common movement. Thus, the Common Table is present with a hope to get through the impasse.
After dissolution of the former Democratic Party of Japan, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Komeito has controlled the state’s power. People’s frustrations coming from hopelessness has been absorbed by the rightist groups, for instance, the Ishin (the Restoration Party of Japan). The Common Table reflects the anxieties.
Let’s get united in local communities
The Common Table plans to hold a symposium on August 28 as a first step for coming activities, calling for support across the country. If a local community sets up a branch of the Common Table, a network will be extended, combining other social movements. In the Kinki area, or the Osaka and Kobe region, movements have begun.
The New Socialist Party does the best to formulate coalition of opposition groups for sake of the general election to come. Simultaneously, it responds to the call of Common Table in terms of a medium-and-long-run prospect.
Let’s form a solidarity group in our communities. Let’s support candidates fielded in common by the opposition parties in the coming general election. At the same time the NSP supports the SDP on the basis of the bilateral agreement.
It is in the 2020 election of the House of Councilors that the Common Table’s agenda will be crucial in a concrete manner. The Table will be helpful in proposing a listing of candidates in the proportional representation channel and in fielding common candidates in some of the constituencies of multiple seats, like Tokyo.
「共同テーブル」が発した「いのちの安全保障確立に向けて―非正規社会からの脱却宣言」に、その理念が示されている。
ネットワーク強化
非正規社会、沖縄への基地押付け、中国敵視、原発推進に対し憲法を軸に立ち向かう勢力の結集を図ること。憲法理念を曖昧にしては、保守に傾斜するだけであることを明言している。発起人に佐高信さんら活躍している方々が名を連ねた。
発足の契機となったのは、「宣言」にあるように、「新生社民党」が「新社会党や緑の党をはじめ、基本政策が一致するリベラル・革新の、多くの政党・政治団体・市民団体と日本の政治を変えるためにネットワークを強化する」態度を打ち出したことにある。
立憲民主党に合流せず、独自の道を社民党が決断したことは立憲民主党や共産党だけに野党が収れんされることを危惧していた人々に行動を起こすきっかけを与えたと思われる。
国民投票法への反対、９条を生かした米中緊張緩和、消費税減税の明確化、脱原発などを巡る野党の姿勢の揺らぎ、共産党を含めた共闘への躊躇（ちゅうちょ）などを打開するために、筋を通す新しい政治勢力が希求されていたのである。
それは民主党政権崩壊後、自公政権が継続し、それへの不満が維新系など右翼政治勢力にも吸収されてきた現実への反省でもある。
地域で連携の輪を
「共同テーブル」は８月28日にシンポジウムを開くなど活発に動き出す。また、全国各地に賛同を求め始めている。地域に同趣旨のネットワークが形成されることによって、諸運動との連携も実現するだろう。すでに近畿で呼応する動きが始まっている。
新社会党は、各地で解散総選挙に向けて野党共闘実現のために全力を上げる。同時に中長期の展望に立って「共同テーブル」の呼びかけに応え、まずは地域での連帯の輪を作り出したい。解散総選挙では野党統一候補支援と合わせ、社民党と政策協定を締結し支援態勢を作る。
そして「共同テーブル」の趣旨が生かされるのは来年の参院選だ。比例の「共同名簿」方式や、東京など定数の多い選挙区での共同候補擁立などで、「共同テーブル」は大きな支えとなるであろう。
英訳版↓
A call has been made by a group of people from various fields to establish a common entity for elections, hoping to nourish a consistent, pro-constitutional political forces; the Common Table has been created as a concrete form. The founders are aspired to enhance universal struggles of constitutional opposition forces and help their advance. The New Socialist Party sincerely welcomes the intention and commitments.
A CALL TO FORM CIVIC ENTITY BASED ON CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES
The civic entity, Common Table, recently issued a Declaration to Establish Security of People’s Lives – Free Ourselves from Society of Unstable Workforce. Their assertions are clearly expressed in the statement.
Let’s foster social networks
The group calls to the public to get united among forces that can fight against the society of unstable workforce, the government’s unilateral enforcement to construct new military bases in Okinawa, instigation of a hostile ideology to People’s Republic of China and continuation of nuclear power generation; this is the common stance to observe the constitutional principles. The Common Table testifies that politics will go to conservative, if the constitutional principles are evaded. Founding members, including Mr. Sataka Mokoto, a well-known political critic, are active cultural people.
Their aspiration lies in a fact that the re-organized Social Democratic Party (SDP) has launched a policy to consolidate itself with other political parties, groups and civic organizations whose basic policy can be shared in common. The SDP calls to the NSP and the Greens Japan and other liberal, progressive forces to change politics of the country. Simultaneously, it helps to move people’s network forward.
Some of the members of the SDP did not merge into the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) so as to maintain the SDP, seeking for an independent path, and the SDP has pronounced the policy of common struggle. This fact, seemingly, has triggered the founders of Common Table to take action, who worry about conversion of opposition forces solely to the CDP and the Japanese Communist Party (JCP).
A new political front has been expected to emerge; so that people could fight against the National Referendum Act and for détente between the United States and China, implementing Article Nine of the Constitution (which prohibits Japan to wage a war). People need an explicit plan to reduce the consumption tax rate and termination of nuclear power generation. The opposition parties, however, are not got united at the moment on these agenda and some people do not welcome the JCP in the common movement. Thus, the Common Table is present with a hope to get through the impasse.
After dissolution of the former Democratic Party of Japan, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Komeito has controlled the state’s power. People’s frustrations coming from hopelessness has been absorbed by the rightist groups, for instance, the Ishin (the Restoration Party of Japan). The Common Table reflects the anxieties.
Let’s get united in local communities
The Common Table plans to hold a symposium on August 28 as a first step for coming activities, calling for support across the country. If a local community sets up a branch of the Common Table, a network will be extended, combining other social movements. In the Kinki area, or the Osaka and Kobe region, movements have begun.
The New Socialist Party does the best to formulate coalition of opposition groups for sake of the general election to come. Simultaneously, it responds to the call of Common Table in terms of a medium-and-long-run prospect.
Let’s form a solidarity group in our communities. Let’s support candidates fielded in common by the opposition parties in the coming general election. At the same time the NSP supports the SDP on the basis of the bilateral agreement.
It is in the 2020 election of the House of Councilors that the Common Table’s agenda will be crucial in a concrete manner. The Table will be helpful in proposing a listing of candidates in the proportional representation channel and in fielding common candidates in some of the constituencies of multiple seats, like Tokyo.
August 24, 2021