The Japanese Communist Party has expelled a party member who wrote a book calling for JCP leader Kazuo Shii to step down and for the introduction of public elections for party leaders.
Hajime Suzuki, 78, a former official of the Kyoto prefectural committee of the party, was removed Thursday.
In the book -- titled "Letter to Chair Kazuo Shii" and published by Kamogawa Shuppan -- Suzuki said Communist Party membership, including Diet members, had fallen by 50% since Shii became chairman.
Suzuki directly criticized Shii in the tome, saying, "Many party members are calling for his resignation." He also demanded that all party members have a say in leadership elections.
On Friday, the JCP's Shimbun Akahata mouthpiece newspaper said the party had expelled Suzuki for writing "a series of groundless accusations."
The same day, Suzuki held a press conference, saying: "Everything I wrote is true. There is no reason to kick me out."
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