SENIOR figures from several Japanese opposition parties joined thousands of citizens outside the bustling Ikebukuro station in Tokyo on Sunday evening to protest the government’s dangerous push to ease restrictions on arms exports and advance sweeping military expansion, voicing concern about the country’s future path.
More than 6,000 people attended the protest, according to organizers. Demonstrators held signs reading “Military force cannot bring peace” and “Takaichi step down,” while chanting slogans including “Oppose war” and “Defend peace”, in opposition to what they described as a shift in the government’s security policy.
Japanese media have previously reported that the Takaichi government plans to revise the implementation guidelines for the “three principles on transfer of defence equipment and technology” within the month to loosen overseas arms export restrictions.
Opposition politicians speaking at the rally said Japan’s export of weapons could fuel international conflicts and runs counter to the pacifist principles enshrined in the country’s constitution. They warned that a series of policies being pushed by the government, including relentless military buildup, a proposed anti-espionage law, and plans to establish a national intelligence agency, could put Japan on a dangerous path toward preparing for war. — Xinhua
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