The conference is of special significance because the participants will discuss Asia’s security problems and other important challenges facing the Continent and because we will discuss as well prospects for solutions, seeking ways for dialogue and cooperation.

This conference started in Manila four years ago, followed by one in Bangkok, then one in Beijing this year. These steps already have found a place in history as the first comprehensive meetings of all political parties in Asia. I am confident that developing this Continent, which has been full of hostilities, wars, ruptures, invasions, colonizations, and other historical events, into one shining with peace, sovereignty, friendship and cooperation and that establishing and “Asia without wars”, are the common aspirations of all the delegates to this conference representing their respective countries.

The JCP is most proud of the fact that throughout its 82-year history it has been consistent in its position supporting peace and renouncing war. It resolutely opposed unjust wars of aggression that violated the UN Charter, including the U.S. war of aggression against Vietnam, the Soviet Union’s war of aggression against Afghanistan, and the current war against Iraq.

When we ponder peace in Asia, I would like to attract your attention to the fact that now, at the early part of the 21st century, currents aiming for a “world without wars” based on a new international order for peace with the United Nations at the center, are developing with strength, under new circumstances different from those half a century ago.

The course of events up to the war against Iraq is its best proof. At one point, some argued for the “powerless United Nations” because people could not prevent the war. But it was unprecedented in history that the legality of the war was seriously debated in the UN Security Council even before the war started. As many as an estimated 30 million people throughout the world organized gatherings and demonstrations, expressing their opposition to the war. In this movement, the slogan “defend the international order for peace based on the UN Charter” was shared by these people, which was also unprecedented in history.

Developments in the Iraqi situation after the war started show that even the United States, the world’s self-avowed only “superpower,” cannot determine the course of world affairs as it likes and cannot bring other nations to their knees by its massive military power alone.

Today, great changes have taken place within the forces which will establish and defend an international order for peace. As regards the war against Iraq, so-called major powers also raised strong voices against the war. What transformed the global opposition to the war into the majority was the voice of the overwhelming majority of the people and countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America calling for peace and opposing the war.

In establishing a “world without wars”, the role to be played by the Asian nations is very important. The 1955 “Bandung Declaration,” issued at the Asia and Africa Conference held in Indonesia, proposed principles for supporting a world order for peace under the new circumstances in which many nations gained independence one after another. The declaration’s principles are attaining greater splendor in the present situation.

On regional security, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) in 1976, and the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone concluded in 1995, are turning this region into one of friendship and peace dedicated to cooperation among sovereign states and to a nuclear-free region. Signatories to the treaties are reaching out to Northeast Asia and to South Asia, and their peaceful influence is further growing.

The Northeast Asian region was most behind the time on this point. The start of the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue is a joint effort to solve the problem. If the North Korean nuclear issue is solved in this framework, it will certainly be epoch-making in establishing a stable, peaceful relationship among countries in this region. We also hope that the framework of the six-party talks will develop into an organization, or at least a step toward one, to jointly deal with issues concerning security and peace in this region.

The JCP is not a ruling party. But from a position working for peace in Asia and in the world, it has placed emphasis on international diplomatic activities.

The JCP in its 1997 Congress put forth a policy to attach importance to diplomatic activities in Asian countries. The JCP’s relations with the Communist Party of China, the host party of the Third ICAPP, had been severed for 32 years because of historical reasons, but they were normalized in 1998. For the last several year, JCP delegations have been visiting many countries in Asia and Africa, and have been holding talks with government representatives to encourage useful exchanges of opinion on peace issues.

We also have close ties with the Conference of the Non-Aligned Countries (CNAC) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

In these activities, what deeply impressed us is the fact that many governments, parties and people in the Asian countries fervently hope that Japan will develop an independent peace diplomacy based on its position as an Asian country.

Regrettably, the diplomatic activities carried out by the Japanese government do not live up to their expectations in many respects. We consider it to be our important responsibility as an opposition party working in Japan’s politics, to make efforts to bring Japan’s diplomatic course in line with the world’s currents for peace.

In order for Japan to contribute to peace in Asia and in the world we should thoroughly defend Article 9 of Japan’s Constitution which provides for the renunciation of war and for the maintenance of no war potential. Further, by employing a diplomacy of peace based on the above, Japan should deal with all kinds of problems taking place in the world. As the only A-bomb victim nation in the world, Japan should make active efforts for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. This is also one of the points we stress as the international responsibility of the Japanese people to fulfill.

The JCP, basing its activities on these policies, will continue to work to develop relations of dialogue and of cooperation with other political parties in Asia.

Finally, I would like to make a proposal to the Chairperson, with the hope of further developing such fora for exchanges in multi-faceted ways.

Next year marks the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, of the founding of the United Nations as well as of the establishment of the UN Charter, in addition to being the 50th anniversary of the Bandung Conference. In commemoration of this year carrying great significance for peace in the world and for its governing rules, I would like to propose that the ICAPP take some initiative as the combination of Asian political parties.

Sixty percent of the population of the whole world lives in Asia. There is no doubt that Asia will carry more significant weight in the 21st century in the world both economically and politically. The rich cultural achievements since ancient times as well as the scars of wars and of devastation from colonial rule are inscribed on its history. It is also one of the typical regions in the world in terms of diversity of cultural and religious values. In this respect, it has an important role to play in addressing the urgent challenge facing the world, the “coexistence of various civilizations with different values.” If this Asia strives, aiming for an “Asia without wars,” to establish stability in the region and an international order for peace, and to send out a message of its common will for establishing an international order for peace, it will be a befitting undertaking for the historic year 2005.

The JCP will make the utmost to promote international cooperation toward the direction.