Tokyo Residents Protest Japan's Militarization Policy
Approximately 36,000 demonstrators gathered in front of Japan's National Diet Building in Tokyo, demanding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi resign and preserve Article 9 of the Constitution. This clause has prohibited Japan from engaging in war for nearly 80 years. The protest marks the third and largest demonstration in the past two months, following 3,600 participants in February and 24,000 in March.
The main force behind the protests consists of young Japanese born in the postwar half-century. Twenty-two-year-old student Hashimoto Gota attended the rally carrying a toy lightsaber; a year ago, he had no interest in politics: "I used to think politics was just a game for old people. Now I realize it means handing over my future to others’ control." According to Professor Nakano Koichi from Sophia University’s Department of Political Science, the war in Iran and Donald Trump’s unpredictable actions have driven youth onto the streets. Under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s tenure, the risk of Japan being drawn into an illegal war is extremely high. Thus, more and more citizens view Article 9 of the Constitution as the last bastion against war.
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution states: "The Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes."
The conservative government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has long pushed for constitutional revision. Several years ago, under U.S. pressure, Japan expanded the interpretation of Article 9, securing the right to collective self-defense—allowing military assistance to allies even if Japan itself is not attacked. On April 21, Japanese authorities further lifted restrictions on exporting lethal weapons, a move widely seen as a direct challenge to pacifism.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1863901940999244/
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