Japan Proletarian Party

A prewar left-wing proletarian political party whose main organizational base was the National Council of Japanese Trade Unions (Zenhyo). The Council of Labor-Farmer-Proletarians (Rokyo) was established as an election campaign organization for Kato Kanju (Chairman of Zenhyo), who advocated anti-fascism in the general election of February 1936 (Showa 11). On May 4th, just before the Tokyo Prefectural Assembly election, the Council of Labor-Farmer-Proletarians (Rokyo) transformed into a political association with group membership. However, at a time when hopes were pinned on a unified front aimed at anti-fascism, there was criticism both within and outside the country about forming a separate party to oppose the Social Mass Party (Shadaito), and there was strong opposition within the Tokyo Transportation Workers' Union and the Tokyo Municipal Employees' Union, which were Rokyo's member organizations. In addition, the Kanto Consumers' Union Federation and one other organization withdrew from Rokyo. Therefore, fearing further internal divisions, Rokyo dissolved its old organization on July 3rd and formed a new "Council of Labor-Farmer-Proletarians" with individual membership. The specific tasks of the New Labor Union were to organize the proletarian organizations that had been shut out by the Socialist Party, and to participate if the Socialist Party opened its doors to labor unions and other class forces. Through this task, the New Labor Union aimed to "unify the anti-fascist political front" (Platform). However, the Socialist Party rejected the proposal for a merger, and the merger issue was thwarted. The Labor Union then tried to form a political party organization to fight together with the Socialist Party, and through this to achieve a merger, and after January 1937, it leaned toward the establishment of a new party. On March 20th, a notice of change of formation was submitted, and the Japan Proletarian Party was established. Kato was the chairman, and Suzuki Mosaburo was the secretary-general. However, the party performed poorly in the general election that followed immediately afterwards, and when the Sino-Japanese War began, Kato was forced to visit the "Imperial Army" to maintain the organization, even though the party did not declare its support for the war. However, the authorities did not even acknowledge this position, and in the Popular Front incident, they arrested a large number of party leaders, then banned the party on December 22. Just before the arrests, the party had 7,046 members.

[Shoji Arakawa]

"Japan's United Front" by Kanda Fumito (1979, Aoki Shoten) " "History of the Japanese People's Front Movement" by Inumaru Giichi (1978, Aoki Shoten)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

日本労働組合全国評議会（全評）を主たる組織基盤とした戦前の左翼無産政党。1936年（昭和11）2月の総選挙で、反ファシズムを掲げた加藤勘十(かんじゅう)（全評議長）の選挙運動組織として生まれた労農無産協議会（労協）は、東京府会議員選挙を前にした5月4日、団体加盟の政治結社に転換した。しかし、反ファッショを目標とする戦線統一に期待がかけられていた当時において、社会大衆党（社大党）に対抗する別党コースには内外の批判があり、労協の加盟団体である東京交通労働組合、東京市従業員組合内部にも強い反対論があった。また、関東消費組合連盟ほか一団体は労協から脱退した。そのため、これ以上の内部分裂を恐れた労協は7月3日、旧組織を解体し個人加盟の新「労農無産協議会」を結成した。新労協が具体的な任務としたのは、社大党から閉め出された無産団体の組織化、社大党が労協およびその他の階級的勢力に門戸を開いた場合の参加であり、この課題を通じて「反ファッショ政治戦線統一」（綱領）を目ざした。しかし、社大党は合同提議を拒否し、合同問題は挫折(ざせつ)した。そこで労協は、政党組織を結成して社大党と共同闘争を行い、それを通じて合同を達成しようとし、37年1月以降新党樹立へ傾いていく。そして3月20日結成変更届が提出され、日本無産党が成立した。委員長は加藤、書記長は鈴木茂三郎(もさぶろう)であった。しかし、その直後の総選挙では振るわず、さらに日中戦争が始まると、党としては戦争支持を表明しなかったものの、加藤は「皇軍」慰問をして組織維持を図らざるをえなかった。しかるに当局はこうした立場さえ認めず、人民戦線事件で首脳部を大量検挙、ついで12月22日結社禁止処分とした。検挙直前の党員数は7046人であった。

［荒川章二］

『神田文人著『日本の統一戦線』（1979・青木書店）』▽『犬丸義一著『日本人民戦線運動史』（1978・青木書店）』

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