Japan's growing communist movement

[Philosophical Materialist]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgizIjUDNuU&NR=1

The above is a YouTube video of a report by Al-Jazeera English.
The Communist Party is gaining around 1,000 new recruits every month this year Although the report ends with a bourgeois critical tone, treating the CP's rise as a "fad" (without evidence)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uubkOYAwi9M

This is a report on the subject by France 24 from earlier this year. Japanese communists are using traditional cultural forms such as Manga to spread Marxists ideas.

The article is fairer than the Al-Jazeera report. But both are recommended for those interested in developments in Japan.

[Spawn of Stalin]

All good stuff, it's a shame they're Eurocommunists.

[NecroCommie]

Naive reformists... Bah!

[Crux]

Well it is true that the JCP has gained some momentum, unfortunatly it's doubtfull if they will be able to make any good use of it, seeing as it coincided with a move to the right on their part. Not that they have gained momentum because they've moved to the right, they have gained momentum because of the crisis, the fact that they have "communist" in their name and yes some progressive policies. And who knows? Hopefully this new influx of members and support can force them to the left, or at least expose them for what they are.

[pranabjyoti]

Well it is true that the JCP has gained some momentum, unfortunatly it's doubtfull if they will be able to make any good use of it, seeing as it coincided with a move to the right on their part. Not that they have gained momentum because they've moved to the right, they have gained momentum because of the crisis, the fact that they have "communist" in their name and yes some progressive policies. And who knows? Hopefully this new influx of members and support can force them to the left, or at least expose them for what they are.
I don't think it is possible. So far, reformists just use the mass support to get more share from the bourgeoisie, not to overthrow them.

[Lolshevik]

Does the CWI's Japanese section, Kokusai Rentai, participate in the JCP?

EDIT: To flesh that out a bit, it seems to me like a revolutionary kernel in the JCP could really help provide a clear-cut alternative to weak reformist eurocommunism.

[KurtFF8]

The JCP didn't do well in the last elections, however. It seems that their momentum has slowed quite a bit.

[Crux]

Does the CWI's Japanese section, Kokusai Rentai, participate in the JCP?

EDIT: To flesh that out a bit, it seems to me like a revolutionary kernel in the JCP could really help provide a clear-cut alternative to weak reformist eurocommunism. Not that I am aware of, although we do give a kind of critical support for the JCP, from what I can discern. But then again we only have a handful of comrades in Japan at present. If we are able to recruit members in the JCP I don't see why entryist work wouldn't be a possibility.

[Crux]

I don't think it is possible. So far, reformists just use the mass support to get more share from the bourgeoisie, not to overthrow them.
True, that doesn't mean that a strengthening of the jcp can't become progressive. After all it looks like it is concurrent with an anti capitalist mood in Japan, not to mention that the traditional party of japanese capitalism the Liberal Democrats got defeated at the last election for the first time in some 50 years.

[Tatarin]

At least it is a beginning. People are angry at the current system, that's good. Maybe they can pull off some unique mega-reform, maybe they realize that reform don't work. In any case, I think many people who join JCP or sympathize with them will come out as true socialists.

[rivalin]

yeha, give them some time, maybe they'll be able to show that communism can successfully take control of what is probably the most developed economy in the world.

[ItalianCommie]

Elections for communists must only be a way of gaining political coverage and visibility; still, if they will ever manage to take over a country, that's very good.

[pranabjyoti]

True, that doesn't mean that a strengthening of the jcp can't become progressive. After all it looks like it is concurrent with an anti capitalist mood in Japan, not to mention that the traditional party of japanese capitalism the Liberal Democrats got defeated at the last election for the first time in some 50 years.
Yes, everybody will agree that it is a good sign, but I am interested in how far it can be better in future. Will just end in just a sign or flourish in something more revolutionary. So far, even before WWII, Japan don't have any heritage of revolutionary struggle. Is it a sign that is changing?