Japanese Communist Party's influential thinker Tetsuzo Fuwa dead at 95

Tetsuzo Fuwa, the former chairman and 'theoretical pillar' of the Japanese Communist Party, has died at 95. He joined the party in 1947, served 11 terms in parliament, and was instrumental in modernizing the party's platform and image.

Tetsuzo Fuwa, a former chairman of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) regarded as its "theoretical pillar", has died at the age of 95, party sources said, according to Kyodo News.

Party officials said Fuwa passed away on Tuesday. Born Kenjiro Ueda, he joined the JCP in 1947 while still a high school student and later emerged as one of the party's most influential thinkers.

After stepping down as chairman in January 2006, Fuwa continued to play a key role within the party as director of its think tank, the Social Sciences Institute, before resigning from his post as the party's top executive due to old age.

Early Life and Career

A Tokyo native, Fuwa graduated from the Faculty of Science at the University of Tokyo and began his professional life as a secretary for the iron and steel workers' union.

He became a full-time member of the JCP in 1964 and entered parliament in 1969, winning a seat in the House of Representatives and serving 11 consecutive terms.

Rise in Party Leadership

During his parliamentary career, Fuwa rose steadily within the party, becoming head of the JCP secretariat in 1970 and later being sworn in as party chief in 1982.

From 1990, he jointly led the party with Kazuo Shii, the current chairman of the party's Central Committee, before being elected Central Committee chairman in 2000.

He left parliament in 2003 following the dissolution of the lower house and subsequently shifted his focus to internal party affairs.

Key Reforms and Political Stance

In this role, Fuwa spearheaded a major overhaul of the JCP's platform in 2004, the first such revision in about 43 years, effectively acknowledging the imperial system and the Self-Defence Forces.

Throughout his years in parliament, Fuwa was known as a prominent opposition voice, confronting 18 Liberal Democratic Party prime ministers during Diet questioning and establishing himself as a central figure within the legislature.

He was also instrumental in reshaping the JCP's direction in the post-Miyamato period, steering it away from a revolutionary image towards a more pragmatic and moderate approach that emphasised reform and cooperation with other opposition parties.

Final Years and Tributes

Even after relinquishing the party's top posts, Fuwa remained active within the JCP, serving on its standing committee until 2024.

Reacting to his death, JCP Central Committee chairman Kazuo Shii expressed his condolences in a statement issued on Tuesday, saying, "It is a source of profound sorrow to have lost a senior figure who made such an enormous contribution, both theoretically and politically." (ANI)

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