Large numbers of Tokyo residents rallied in front of Shinjuku Station on Saturday to protest Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan, warning that her comments and her administration's push for military expansion risk drawing Japan into a war.
Takaichi claimed during a Diet meeting on Nov 7, 2025, that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, a remark that immediately drew strong criticism at home and abroad.
"Takaichi's remarks that a Taiwan emergency could constitute a 'survival-threatening situation' clearly point to a government leaning toward war. We must stand up and voice our opposition," a protester said.
Another protester accused the government of deliberately steering Japan toward conflict.
"I believe the Japanese government is preparing for war, constantly revising laws and conducting military exercises. We stand against this. Despite knowing that China will respond forcefully, they continue to make such statements intentionally -- their true intention is to push for war," she said.
Protesters also expressed strong opposition to the Japanese government's continuous increase in defense spending and its aggressive military agenda.
"Upon taking office, the Takaichi government immediately pledged to increase defense spending to 2 percent of GDP, and now it even seeks to boost it to 3.5 or even 5 percent. It is clear that Japan is the one truly seeking to start a war," one of the demonstrators said.
Others cited Japan's wartime history in Asia.
"After all, Japan had invaded the Korea Peninsula, the Taiwan region, and China. Simply expressing opposition to war is not enough; we need concrete actions to prevent it. Otherwise, the Japanese army could very well cause bloodshed again in Asia. We feel a profound sense of crisis about this," a protester said.
Tokyo residents rally over Takaichi’s Taiwan remarks, warn Japan is being pushed toward war
International cruise ships brought more than 8,000 tourists to Shanghai over the past weekend, underscoring the growing momentum of the city's tourism market.
Last Saturday, two cruise ships, the Spectrum of the Seas and Mein Schiff 6, arrived in Shanghai with nearly 6,000 tourists, setting a new single day record for daily inbound arrivals at the city's Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal.
Two more ships, the MSC Magnifica and Adora Magic City, arrived the next day, docking alongside Mein Schiff 6. For the first time this year, the terminal received three cruise ships docked simultaneously.
Impressed by China's customs services, tourists shared their feelings after landing.
"The service is very good, very fast. Everything is very quick," said a tourist.
"We're going to Disneyland. It's a cool trip," another tourist expressed her expectations.
During the two-day period, Shanghai port handled more than 20,000 passenger entries and exits, more than half of which were made by international travelers. Over 90 percent of them are benefiting from the visa-free policies.
"[I traveled from] Chengdu to here. I'm here to Beijing and Beijing to the UK," a tourist talked about his schedule, whose destinations in China all covered in the visa-free policies.
"Very good, excellent policy, and anything that reduces the amount of time. We had a week in ten days in China already, then we're gonna come back into the city to do some shopping," another senior visitor said.
Authorities have also introduced measures to improve the visa process.
"To ensure a smooth entry, officials will get on the ships in advance to perform inspections. So, passengers can start their trips as soon as they disembark. While at the airports, we have also provided an online submission system for arrival cards. That will also save their time," said Zhu Xiaoxiang, Deputy Director of Immigration Inspection Division under Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection.
So far this year, Shanghai's customs and immigration agents have processed more than ten million visitors, with 305,000 international passenger trips through cruise terminals, marking a prosperous tourism market.
Over 8,000 cruise passengers touch down in Shanghai, providing major tourism boost
