Yesterday afternoon (Thursday, December 25), dozens of protesters gathered outside the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Tokyo, waving placards and chanting slogans like "Don't sell 'Made in Japan' weapons" and "No war" ✊🚫🕊️. Their mission? To stop the ruling coalition from scrapping Japan’s long-standing five-category arms export restriction.
Under the current rules, only nonlethal defense equipment—like rescue gear, transport vehicles, detection tools, surveillance drones and minesweeping vessels—can be sold abroad. But on December 15, the LDP and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, agreed to revise the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, removing this limit and aiming to present the proposal to the cabinet in February 2026.
“These restrictions curb the flow of lethal weapons,” says Yoko Sugiura, one of the rally organizers. She warns that lifting them could lead to Japanese-made arms being used to kill people overseas. An anonymous protester added, “Japan cannot wage war, yet our laws are changing to export weapons for warfare. It’s absolutely wrong.”
At the end of the rally, representatives delivered a petition to LDP officials, demanding an immediate halt to all efforts to ease arms export rules. It felt like a real-life political anime showdown, but for these young activists, this is no fiction—this is a fight for peace.
As Japan debates its role on the world stage, voices in Tokyo are making it clear: peace comes first. Will policymakers listen? 🤔🌏
Reference(s):
Japanese rally against ruling coalition's plan to ease arms export
cgtn.com
