Tokyo, January 17 (RHC)-- Delegates at the 26th Congress of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) described as illegal and outdated the 52-year-long economic and political blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba.

The four-day meeting taking place in the coast city of Atami, some 100 kilometers of the capital, Tokyo, includes the participation of 850 delegates from all parts of the country, who will elect the new leadership of the organization.

In the 26th JCP Congress' central report, presented by its President Kazuo Shii, the Japanese Communists condemned the U.S. economic sanctions against Cuba, saying they have severely hindered Cuba's economic and social development.

The Japanese Communists also praised the creation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). The JCP president said this development constitutes a valuable contribution to balanced international order, based on the principles included in the UN Charter, such as peace, mutual respect, international law, sovereignty, pluralism, and equality.