Tokyo, Aug 20 (IANS) Tens of thousands of Japanese citizens gathered in front of the National Diet Building in Tokyo to protest a series of dangerous moves by the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, including its distorted view of history and push toward military expansion.
According to organisers, about 15,000 people took part in the demonstration in person, while another 25,000 joined online on Wednesday evening. One of the themes of the rally was: “Politicians who refuse to reflect on the war and confront Japan’s history of aggression should step down immediately.”
Protesters held banners reading “Oppose military expansion” and chanted slogans including “Defend the pacifist Constitution” and “Takaichi, step down now.”
Mizuho Fukushima, leader of Japan’s Social Democratic Party, said in an interview that Takaichi made no mention of “reflection” on Japan’s past wars of aggression at the national memorial service for the war dead on August 15, reports Xinhua news agency.
She also criticised Takaichi’s ambiguous remarks on the country’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles earlier this month at the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombing commemorations, saying Takaichi failed to clearly state that Japan would continue to uphold the principles. “This is a very serious issue,” she said.
Kiyomasa Komesu, a protester from the southern island prefecture of Okinawa, said the Takaichi government is pursuing a course of military expansion, adding that Japan’s current policies show “a strong belligerent streak.”
Another protester, who gave his name as Sakuma, said he opposes the series of measures recently taken by the Japanese government, including the establishment of a national intelligence agency, warning that “the sound of war is approaching.”
Kojima, a teacher who travelled from Kanagawa Prefecture to attend the rally, said she is deeply concerned that even some ordinary Japanese companies are shifting funds and resources toward areas such as drones and weapons.
The Takaichi government has recently accelerated its military buildup, continuing to increase defence spending, easing restrictions on exports of lethal weapons, pushing ahead with the deployment of intermediate- and long-range missiles, expanding offensive military capabilities, and seeking to revise Japan’s pacifist Constitution.
At the same time, Takaichi herself has repeatedly avoided clarifying whether Japan will continue to uphold the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. These developments have continued to fuel concern among Japanese peace groups and citizens.
–IANS
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