Hong Kong stocks close 0.43 pct higher

Hong Kong's stock market ended higher Monday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index up 0.43 percent to close at 25,801.77 points.

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose 0.43 percent to end at 8,939.68 points, and the Hang Seng Tech Index rose 0.87 percent to end at 5,526.83 points.

A group of Japanese peace activists gathered outside the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Friday to protest the government's push for constitutional revision and the lifting of a ban on lethal weapons exports.

The Japanese government officially revised the "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology" and related implementation guidelines on April 21, allowing overseas sales of weapons, including those with lethal capabilities.

Kyodo News, a Japanese news agency, said the changes mark a significant shift in the country's defense policy, noting that it has long touted itself as a "peace-loving nation" under its war-renouncing Constitution since its defeat in World War II.

The protesters accused the Takaichi administration of lifting the export ban without sufficient debate or deliberation in the National Diet.

"Without full discussions in the National Diet, the government just arbitrarily decided on arms exports and made various excuses for it. Also, regarding the incident of intrusion into the Chinese embassy, the government has not issued an apology. Japan should be on friendly terms with neighboring countries, yet it engages in actions that incite confrontation. [Constitutional revision] is truly disturbing. Especially nowadays, the Liberal Democratic Party and Prime Minister Takaichi are pushing for arms exports in order to build a nation capable of waging war. This is absolutely unacceptable," one female protester said.

"As a matter of fact, it [lifting the ban on lethal weapons exports] was arbitrarily decided by the cabinet without any consideration of people's opinions. Revising the pacifist constitution will undoubtedly harm Japan's national interests. I sincerely hope that the Takaichi administration will stop this practice," a male protester said.

"Article 9 of Japan's constitution has gradually, to some extent, been distorted by various faits accomplis. While Japan is nominally a 'peaceful country,' this is not the case in reality," another female protester said.