Many Japanese took to the street in Tokyo, protesting the government’s constant pursuit of military expansion in disregard of the current severe inflation and increasing pressure on people’s livelihoods.

The participants, holding banners, gathered at a bustling business district in Tokyo, demanding that the government should abide by the Constitution’s Article 9 and adhere to peace diplomacy, stop following the US strategy of military expansion, and allocate more financial fund to areas that foster economic development.

The prices are soaring in Japan, and an increasing number of people are falling into poverty, so there are many areas where the funds should be allocated. I think it is totally wrong to spend the money on increasing defense expenditure, said a protester.

I hope the government can seriously consider the livelihood issue and what will happen in the future. The prices will rise continually, and even meeting some basic needs like food will become a problem. All these issues are interconnected, and I hope everyone can understand that, said another protester.

Other protesters emphasized that Japan should halt its pursuit of military expansion and instead draw lessons from its history of invasion, which inflicted immense harm upon the peoples of Asia.

Given the historical fact that many innocent people were killed by the Japanese army, it is imperative to prevent any recurrence of war, said a protester.

In recent years, Japan has persistently violated its pacifist constitution by significantly bolstering its defense forces and repeatedly increasing its defense expenditure to record high levels. This alarming trend has posed a grave threat to the regional peace and stability.

(Source: AFP)