Protesters rally exterior Japan’s National Diet Building in Tokyo, Japan, March 10, 2026. /Xinhua
About 8,000 individuals gathered in central Tokyo on Tuesday night time to protest the harmful insurance policies pursued by the federal government of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, together with the deployment of missiles and the push to ease deadly arms exports.
Despite the chilly climate, demonstrators exterior Japan’s National Diet Building held placards studying “No to war!” and “Stop trampling on the Constitution!” They additionally collectively learn aloud Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan, reaffirming their dedication to the nation’s pacifist ideas.
Organizers stated roughly one other 1,000 participated on-line.
Taku Yamazoe, coverage chief of the Japanese Communist Party, stated the United States is pursuing hegemonic insurance policies, and that Japan has chosen to carefully align its actions with Washington whereas advancing associated insurance policies premised on army growth. This strategy runs counter to the purpose of sustaining regional peace and stability.
Yamazoe famous that Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution clearly stipulates that Japan renounces warfare and won’t keep warfare potential. “If the spirit of the Constitution were truly upheld, Japan should not pursue diplomacy based on preparations for war, but instead promote diplomacy aimed at resolving issues through dialogue,” he stated.
Compared with earlier protests, the rally noticed a bigger variety of younger members. One demonstrator, Aya Yasui, expressed concern over the current deployment of long-range missile launchers by Japan’s Defense Ministry in Kumamoto Prefecture. “I think this is an extremely dangerous situation,” she stated.
Recently, the Takaichi authorities has moved to revise the operational pointers of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, additional easing restrictions on arms exports. At the identical time, it has accelerated plans to deploy long-range missiles throughout Japan and is searching for to advertise constitutional revision, strikes which have sparked widespread concern and criticism amongst numerous sectors of Japanese society.
Source: CGTN