Japanese Communist Party drops election cooperation stance amid opposition reshuffle

In a meeting in Tokyo, the Japanese Communist Party declared it will abandon its longstanding policy of cooperating with other opposition parties for national elections. The decision was presented by party chief Tomoko Tamura, who highlighted a "new party configuration" following a recent division within a major opposition party. Tamura urged members to concentrate on expanding the JCP to challenge Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government.

Founded in 1945, the JCP had previously advocated joint opposition efforts, a position reflected in resolutions at three consecutive congresses since 2017. The upcoming party congress is expected to formally remove the cooperation language. Tamura, the first female leader of the JCP since 2024, framed the move as a single-minded push for party advancement.