No. 1323 The 29th National Congress of New Socialist Party of Japan
The New Socialist Party of Japan (NSP) will hold its 29th Congress on July 15 and 16. Today in the Japanese politics the rules of Constitution are rapidly being eroded when the human rights for survival are threatened. Let’s get united solidly on the party’s policy to ‘invigorate the Constitution’.
LET’S HAVE SINCERE DISCUSSIONS TO SHARE STUGGLES IN COMMON!
Last year the NSP has fielded a candidate, who is our member, in the proportional representation channel of the Social Democratic Party, listing her in the common bench. The NSP had to clear many hardships to fortify the ‘joint frontline of opposition parties and civic organizations which contest worsening of the Constitution’. That was our fundamental strategy.
Simultaneously, aside from challenging the 2022 Upper House election, the major task lied in activities to enhance our organizational capability to convey the historic duties to coming generations; because the joint front covers broad platforms ranging from the Constitutional Democratic Party to the Communist Party, and we had a role to get the political parties and civic players united.
Right analysis on NSP’s status confirmed
Under the tremendously hard conditions, party members across the country dedicated to victory in the July election. The total number of votes gained on the candidate’s name counted 17 thousand, which was far from the target. The result, however, told clearly the NSP’s current status as a political entity, which we shared definitely in common.
Opinions were raised in the extraordinary congress held last autumn to review the Upper House election, which said that ‘the party cannot afford to involve in the state level elections, but much money was spent’. The NSP is a political party to change the society through democratic processes, and so election campaigns constitute our basic activities on both of the state and municipal levels, and, through these struggles we could directly reach people to seek resiliently for a path towards a coalition government based on the Constitution. We have confirmed the fact in the assembly. The party leadership has proposed, though the situation is hard, consolidating financial basis to continue our duties and improving quality of the weekly party organ, the Shin-shakai.
Activities to link us with people
We have involved in the subsequent elections, following the summer one for the House of Councilors; the intermediate period ones and those for municipalities in April 2023. Through the campaigns we have seen seamless activities, though the tempo is slow: young people and new candidates have challenged the elections. The Party’s potential will never become stronger unless close, firm ties with people are present endorsed by daily efforts as shallow-rooted trees are fallen down in the storm.
Neo-liberal politics has lasted for over 30 years, bringing poverty, social gaps, harsher discrimination and deprivation of humane livelihood. Furthermore, many of people cannot afford to build up human relationships due to severe rivalries, entrapped into self-responsibility to agonize.
The NSP calls for ‘struggles to invigorate constitutional principles’, which means concrete actions by which we can survive as a man/woman with dignity. I hope to have sincere and enthusiastic discussions in the coming Congress so that we can share principles in common.
Disarmament & Neutrality is crucial
When a society prefers fealty of state to benefit of individuals, its terminus is a war. Military expansion races have no limit: people in Japan will face more and more increases in their taxes and decreases in their benefits for healthcare and welfare. Today the burden ratio imposed on people exceeds 47.5% of the incomes. If the government boosts up the nation’s counter-offensive military capabilities, that will heighten tensions with the neighboring countries, thus lives of inhabitants, who might be made to be a shield, would be slighter than statehood.
If a society is not a comfortable place to live in, it is not peaceful. Diplomatic endeavor based on the rule of disarmament and neutrality is the sole way toward peace. In the Congress we, the NSP, will declare this principle and appeal to people.
新社会党第29回大会
新社会党は７月15、16の両日、第29回大会を開く。憲法改悪の動きが加速し、人間らしく生きるための諸権利がないがしろにされ続ける政治に対し、力強く「憲法を生かす」方針を確立しよう。
私たちは昨年の参院選を、社民党比例共同名簿に党員候補を立てて闘った。様々な揺さぶりを受け、ぐらつく「憲法改悪を許さない野党共闘」を強化する闘いと位置付けた。
同時に、立憲民主党から共産党まで幅広い野党間をつなぐ役割をそのどちらにも属さない我々が担うには、「今」だけではなく次世代に運動をつなぐための組織強化が最大の課題であった。
現状可視化と共有
厳しい条件下、全国の仲間が闘った。獲得個人票は１万７千余で目標には遠く及ばなかったが、漠然とした感覚ではなく、組織の現状を可視化し共有できたことは間違いない。
総括の臨時大会で「力もないのに国政選挙など闘うな。金の無駄使い」との声もあったが、民主主義的な方法で社会変革をめざす政党として、国政も自治体も選挙は社会に訴える基本的は活動で、闘いを通して人とつながり、憲法を生かす連合政権への道を粘り強く切り開こうと再確認した。厳しいが、運動継続へ財政強化、機関紙強化を提案している。
人とつながる活動
歩みは遅いが、昨年来続いた中間、統一自治体選挙では、参院選に連動した取組みが見えてきた。若者や新人の挑戦があった。根の浅い草木は暴風が吹けば飛ばされるように、日常の活動に基づいた人々とのつながりがなければ党組織は強くならない。
30年を超えて続く新自由主義政策が、貧困、格差、差別を強め人間らしさを否定する。その上、激しい競争によって人とのつながりが作れず、自己責任の罠わなにしばられ、もがいている人が多数だ。
私たちが呼びかける「憲法を生かす闘い」は、人として生きるための具体的な闘いである。その具体的な内容を共有できる、活発な大会議論をお願いしたい。
非武装中立こそが
個々の人間より国家を優先させる社会の行きつく先は戦争だ。軍拡競争に限界はなく、47・５％を超える国民負担率は増税や医療・福祉の給付削減で一層増加する。攻撃能力強化は近隣諸国との緊張を高め、盾にされる住民の生命は国家より軽視される。
生きづらい社会は平和ではない。非武装中立に基づく外交努力こそが、平和への道と宣言し、訴える大会にしよう。
英訳版↓
No. 1323 The 29th National Congress of New Socialist Party of Japan
The New Socialist Party of Japan (NSP) will hold its 29th Congress on July 15 and 16. Today in the Japanese politics the rules of Constitution are rapidly being eroded when the human rights for survival are threatened. Let’s get united solidly on the party’s policy to ‘invigorate the Constitution’.
LET’S HAVE SINCERE DISCUSSIONS TO SHARE STUGGLES IN COMMON!
Last year the NSP has fielded a candidate, who is our member, in the proportional representation channel of the Social Democratic Party, listing her in the common bench. The NSP had to clear many hardships to fortify the ‘joint frontline of opposition parties and civic organizations which contest worsening of the Constitution’. That was our fundamental strategy.
Simultaneously, aside from challenging the 2022 Upper House election, the major task lied in activities to enhance our organizational capability to convey the historic duties to coming generations; because the joint front covers broad platforms ranging from the Constitutional Democratic Party to the Communist Party, and we had a role to get the political parties and civic players united.
Right analysis on NSP’s status confirmed
Under the tremendously hard conditions, party members across the country dedicated to victory in the July election. The total number of votes gained on the candidate’s name counted 17 thousand, which was far from the target. The result, however, told clearly the NSP’s current status as a political entity, which we shared definitely in common.
Opinions were raised in the extraordinary congress held last autumn to review the Upper House election, which said that ‘the party cannot afford to involve in the state level elections, but much money was spent’. The NSP is a political party to change the society through democratic processes, and so election campaigns constitute our basic activities on both of the state and municipal levels, and, through these struggles we could directly reach people to seek resiliently for a path towards a coalition government based on the Constitution. We have confirmed the fact in the assembly. The party leadership has proposed, though the situation is hard, consolidating financial basis to continue our duties and improving quality of the weekly party organ, the Shin-shakai.
Activities to link us with people
We have involved in the subsequent elections, following the summer one for the House of Councilors; the intermediate period ones and those for municipalities in April 2023. Through the campaigns we have seen seamless activities, though the tempo is slow: young people and new candidates have challenged the elections. The Party’s potential will never become stronger unless close, firm ties with people are present endorsed by daily efforts as shallow-rooted trees are fallen down in the storm.
Neo-liberal politics has lasted for over 30 years, bringing poverty, social gaps, harsher discrimination and deprivation of humane livelihood. Furthermore, many of people cannot afford to build up human relationships due to severe rivalries, entrapped into self-responsibility to agonize.
The NSP calls for ‘struggles to invigorate constitutional principles’, which means concrete actions by which we can survive as a man/woman with dignity. I hope to have sincere and enthusiastic discussions in the coming Congress so that we can share principles in common.
Disarmament & Neutrality is crucial
When a society prefers fealty of state to benefit of individuals, its terminus is a war. Military expansion races have no limit: people in Japan will face more and more increases in their taxes and decreases in their benefits for healthcare and welfare. Today the burden ratio imposed on people exceeds 47.5% of the incomes. If the government boosts up the nation’s counter-offensive military capabilities, that will heighten tensions with the neighboring countries, thus lives of inhabitants, who might be made to be a shield, would be slighter than statehood.
If a society is not a comfortable place to live in, it is not peaceful. Diplomatic endeavor based on the rule of disarmament and neutrality is the sole way toward peace. In the Congress we, the NSP, will declare this principle and appeal to people.
June 28, 2023