50th Anniversary of Triumph of Cuban Revolution	No.630 April 21, 2009
		The year 2009 commemorates the 50th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution and the 80th of establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. The New Socialist Party of Japan (NSP) will send a delegation for the second time of 70 members headed by President Kurihara Kimiko after its first visit in 2000. The delegation will participate in the May Day event, have meetings with the Communist Party of Cuba and visit social service facilities. NSP Sends Delegation to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Revolution History between Two Countries The first Japanese who visited the island was Hasekura Tsunenaga, who was a member of mission to Europe dispatched by Date Masamune (1614). The party landed on the Havana port, staying for two weeks in the island, to continue the journey through the Atlantic Ocean to Roma via Spain. The modern diplomatic relations were built in 1928. After the triumph of the Revolution, Minister of Industry Ernesto Guevarra made an official visit to Japan in July, 1959, and ambassadors were assigned mutually in 1962 on the permanent basis. The first spinning factory in the state industrialization plan constructed in the city of Gibara, a northern coastal city in the eastern province, was named after Inejiro Asanuma. Cuban Revolution in Today’s Era Beautiful white sand beaches, mountains and forests, well-established medical services and public education, people’s rights and free access to cultural activities, like music, and sports, internationalist medical assistance – these are reported by mass media today about Cuba. However, tremendous efforts have been made by the entire people of the island to accomplish these social achievements. Today, after the 50-year long struggles of Cuban people despite the US economic, financial and commercial blockade and the subsequent disintegration of the socialist camp, peoples of the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have won one after another in the elections, through which they have established administrations to defend independence and sovereignty. In April two important, rivalry summits were held in South America: one is of the Alternative Bolivarian Program for Americas (ALBA), led by Venezuela and Cuba (held April 15-16), and the other is of the Organization of American States (OAS) (April 17-19), in which the US foreign policy under the Obama administration was focused on, especially the policy toward Cuba. From Independence to Socialism In the 50s of Cold War era the United States ruled the western hemisphere by way of multinational corporations and puppet regimes, engaged in military interventions. Peoples’ struggles against dictatorship were harsh and accompanied by arms. Cuba had been under US rule for sixty years since January 1, 1899, after the US-Spain War. In 1953 a group of young men led by Fidel Castro, who was 26 year old, assaulted the Moncada Garrison, which failed in the military context. But the attack encouraged people’s struggle against dictatorship across the country to develop the July-26 Movement. President Batista, perceiving total defeat on December 31, 1958, announced his resignation and on the following day, January 1, he flew to Dominican Republic. The Cuban Revolution won victory. Socialism – Fortress of Human Beings The agrarian reform and nationalization policy eradicated the US corporations’ interests and the Kennedy administration took an economic blockade package and engaged in military interventions, which led the young revolutionary government to confirming to go to a socialist path. Doctors and engineers fled the country. Thirty percent of the population was illiterate, the average life time was 59 years, and 75% of the industry was of the US origins – the revolution started from underdevelopment. Cuba has survived the era of US-Soviet peaceful coexistence and surpassed Special Period which shook the country after disappearance of socialist bloc. The banner of socialism has been hoisted. Now the island country sends dozens of thousand of doctors and teachers for literacy campaign to the Three Continents. Industrially advanced countries, hit by the unprecedented financial and economic crisis, sink in depression. Under the circumstances Cuba proves that only socialism can guarantee people in employment, social services, protection of natural environment, human dignity and peace. The NSP delegation will leave on April 27 and return on May 5.