Large protest held in Tokyo against gov't military expansion policies

A large number of Japanese people took to the streets in Tokyo on Sunday afternoon to protest a series of military expansion policies recently pursued by the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Demonstrators, many wearing helmets bearing the words "Anti-war" and "Peace," chanted slogans such as "No to constitutional revision" and "Stop war."

Organizers said that the Japanese government, while touting the country as a "peace-loving nation," has continued to strengthen the Japan-U.S. security alliance, expand the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), and accelerate its push toward remilitarization, warning that such moves could lead Japan down the path toward war.

One protester, identified as Kashimura, told Xinhua that prices in Japan keep rising, tax burdens continue to increase, and social security spending is growing.

"At the same time, the government is pushing for legislation that would restrict freedom of expression and suppress anti-war voices. People will lose the space to express themselves freely," Kashimura said.

Another protester, Junko Kaji, said there is little meaningful opposition within the Japanese parliament, with war-related bills being passed one after another.

"Today, large numbers of workers and ordinary citizens have gathered around the Diet (Japan's parliament). Only by bringing down the Takaichi administration through public opposition can war be prevented," she said.

In recent months, Japan has continued to strengthen military deployments in areas including Okinawa, while seeking to bolster its so-called "defense capabilities" through the formulation and revision of relevant policy documents.

On June 9, the LDP approved a draft proposal on revising the country's three key security documents within the year.

The proposal not only called for further increases in defense spending but also urged raising the manning rate of SDF reserve personnel to prepare for contingencies. These developments have sparked widespread public concern. ■