Anti-War Protests Spread in Japan as Prime Minister Pushes Stronger Defence
Anti-war demonstrations are spreading across Japan's main cities just as the prime minister pushes plans to lift defence spending and expand the armed forces' authority. Opposition leaders argue the proposals stretch the limits of Japan's pacifist constitution.
Thousands have marched in Tokyo, Osaka and Hiroshima against the government's plan to lift defence spending and broaden the operational authority of the Self-Defense Forces. Protesters argued the package hollows out Article 9 of the pacifist constitution.
The prime minister has cited China's military modernisation, tensions on the Korean Peninsula and the conflict in the Middle East to justify raising the defence budget toward 3% of gross domestic product. A legislative package is due to reach the Diet this autumn.
Opposition parties and prominent civil society groups argue the policy shift would require a formal constitutional amendment. The government counters that the existing framework can be reinterpreted within current rules. The Hiroshima rally carries particular weight given the city's atomic-bomb memory.
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