Japan’s younger generation has spoken out against the country’s growing militarization and the preservation of the heritage of its peaceful constitution. When the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takachi took the initiative to amend Article 9 of the Constitution (which speaks of non-violence), the country’s youth took to the streets. On April 19, a huge rally of about 36,000 people gathered in front of the National Diet Building in Tokyo to protest against US policy and influence. The younger generation demands that Japan’s foreign policy be conducted in the interests of the country’s peace and security rather than in the interests of the United States. They say attempts to transform Japan into a ‘normal’ military power through constitutional change are pushing their future to war. The movement is attended by young people from various professions besides students, who believe that Japan’s message of peace must be spread around the world. The recent decision by the government to lift the ban on arms exports has accelerated their movement. The rise of the youth has now sparked new controversy in Japanese politics, where they have openly rejected government attempts to change the constitution in a fight to secure their future. As the heirs of a peaceful Japan, they are by no means willing to step on the road to war.
‘Stop US interference’: Young people take to the streets to defend Japan’s constitution
