Japanese Communist Party opposes major US-Japan military exercise

Party organisations in Okinawa, Chiba and Kochi have protested against the exercise, warning of its implications for regional security and local communities.

In Okinawa, the JCP's prefectural committee submitted a protest to the Okinawa Defense Bureau on 16 October. The delegation, which included JCP parliamentarian Seiken Akamine, demanded the cancellation of the exercise and opposed further military deployments and base expansion in the Sakishima Islands. Akamine warned that the exercises could heighten tensions with China and increase the risk of conflict involving Okinawa. The party also reiterated its demand for the removal of Futenma Air Station and a fundamental revision of the US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement.

In Chiba, JCP representatives called on the Defense Ministry to cancel training activities planned at local military facilities, citing concerns over aircraft noise, the presence of US troops near residential areas and the lack of transparency surrounding military operations.

The party's Kochi organisation similarly opposed the planned use of Kochi Airport and Kochi New Port, raising concerns about the impact of military activities on civilian infrastructure and fishing communities. Prefectural authorities defended the exercises as necessary for national defence.

Meanwhile, in Ibaraki, JCP representatives challenged plans to designate three civilian ports for specified government use, warning that the measure could facilitate further military activities. Local officials maintained that the designation was primarily intended for disaster response.

The protests come as the JCP prepares for its 30th Congress. At its Central Committee Plenum on 12–14 October, the party discussed proposed amendments to its programme, including stronger criticism of the US-Japan military alliance and the increasing integration of Japan's Self-Defense Forces into US command structures. The proposals reflect the broader political position underlying the party's opposition to the current military exercises.