On January 13, 2014, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) sent the following message of greetings to the Central Committee of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) on the occasion of its 26th congress. The JCP congress is to take place in Arami City, Shizuoka Prefecture, from January 15 to 18, 2014. THE Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) greets the 26th congress of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP). On this occasion, we extend our greetings through you, to all the members, sympathisers and well-wishers of the party. We also take this opportunity to congratulate you on your excellent performance in the various elections held last year. The JCP has a long history of heroic struggles against imperialism and exploitation. The party has evolved through this rich experience of struggles and intense ideological debates. The JCP is one among those communist and workers' parties in the world that firmly upheld the banner of scientific socialism, in the aftermath of the setback to socialism in the 1990s. Comrades, Your congress is being held at a very crucial period, where the world is in the midst of, what is now being termed as the 'Great Recession.' The current crisis, inherent in the very nature of the capitalist system, is a systemic crisis. In spite of all the efforts to come out of the crisis, the ruling classes are unable to come out of the crisis unscathed. International finance capital led imperialist globalisation is looking for avenues to maximise their profits and in the process are shifting the burdens onto the shoulders of the working people across the world. They are using all the means at their disposal – economic, political and military – to prise open the markets of developing countries and also gain access to their rich natural resources. It is in this background that we view the efforts of the US imperialism to build a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that includes all the countries along the Pacific rim. It intends to build it into one of the biggest free trade alliances in the world, the motive for which is to expand its influence over all these countries and exploit their resources and markets. Another implicit reason is the 'containment' of socialist China. The active interest shown by the US in the affairs of the Asia-Pacific region and its interference is a result of this strategic priority it had assigned to our region. The US wants both Japan and India to play an active role in these designs to further its hegemonic efforts. The challenge before the communists to fight back this imperialist onslaught is both urgent and immense. Comrades, In India, our party is amidst an intense fight against the increasing burdens imposed upon the vast majority of the people by the ruling UPA government at the centre. Succumbing to the pressures of the imperialist forces led by the US, the government is opening up its economy to multinational corporations, particularly after signing the Indo-US nuclear deal. The general elections to our national parliament are due shortly and our party is gearing up to face this challenge. The right-wing fundamentalist forces are desperately trying to benefit from the growing popular discontent against the Congress led coalition government. Our party is mobilising the secular, democratic forces in the country to counter this threat of right-wing fundamentalist forces and is trying to offer an alternative to both the current ruling coalition led by the Congress and the right-wing fundamentalist forces. Dear Comrades, Once again, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) we convey our warm fraternal greetings to the 26th congress of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP). We are confident that this congress will be able to work out the correct strategy and tactics to further strengthen the JCP's links with the working people of Japan, to meet the present critical situation and carry forward the struggle for the establishment of a socialist society. While such a struggle will be long and arduous, on behalf of the CPI(M) we assure you of our solidarity and support. The CPI(M) and the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) have a long association of friendship and understanding. We are certain that this mutual trust and bonds of friendship will strengthen our fraternal relations further in the days ahead. Once again we wish your congress all success.