Large Anti-War Protests Held in Japan Over Military Policy Changes

Large crowds gathered in Tokyo and other Japanese cities this week to protest the government's recent steps to strengthen the country's defense capabilities. The demonstrations, described by BBC News as Japan's largest anti-war protests in decades, occurred as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has lifted long-standing restrictions on arms exports and expanded Japan's military role abroad since taking office in October 2025.

The government says the changes are necessary in an increasingly tense region that includes an assertive China, an unpredictable North Korea and nearby Russia. Public protests in Japan are typically restrained due to cultural emphasis on social harmony.

Large turnouts therefore signal significant underlying concerns, this time centered on the nation's pacifist identity and potential shifts away from its postwar framework.

1947 constitution includes Article 9, which renounces war as a sovereign right and prohibits maintenance of armed forces for waging war. The clause has been reinterpreted over time to permit self-defense forces. The government lifted its ban on exporting lethal weapons on 21 April, arguing that allies must support one another in a severe security environment.

The decision prompted increased protest activity outside the prime minister's office and in cities including Osaka, Kyoto and Fukuoka. Attendance at the rallies has grown week by week with social media platforms such as X helping to organize and publicize events.

Participants have included both older residents with memories of World War Two and younger people in their twenties and thirties.