Japan rocked by biggest anti-war protests in decades as PM pushes for stronger defence

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Tokyo and other major Japanese cities in some of the country's largest anti-war rallies in decades. Protesters opposed the prime minister's plan to push defence spending well above 2% of GDP and to expand joint-operation authority with allies. Trade unions, students and retired politicians joined the broad coalition.

The rallies highlight a sharp tension between Japan's post-war pacifist constitution and the security pressures of a more contested region. Beijing's activity in the East China Sea and North Korea's missile programme have given the government a clear case for a tougher deterrence posture.

Japan's defence industry has expanded rapidly: shares in Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and IHI have outperformed the broader market this year. But the political backlash will test the government's ability to push a larger defence budget through the Diet in the coming session, with implications for the Nikkei's defence-heavy leaders.