A group of Japanese people gathered in front of the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo on Monday to voice their opposition to the government's sharp increase in defense spending and its continued push for the construction of a new U.S. military base at Henoko in Okinawa.
The protesters,from different regions and age groups, expressed their strong dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's current security policy and the heavy burden that the military base has imposed on Okinawa.
"I believe that as long as we build the military base, it will lead us toward war. I don't want Okinawa to bear more of the burden," said a protester.
"I feel very ashamed that Japan is involved in exporting military weapons, and I believe it makes people around the world feel scared. I strongly oppose arms exports and the Takaichi administration's attempt to push for war," said another protester.
During a Diet session on Nov.7, 2025, Takaichi said that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait.
The protesters also expressed their concern about the changes in security policies since Takaichi took office in October 2025, believing that related statements and policies made by the current administration are leading Japanese society as a whole toward a more dangerous direction.
"I think Japan is heading into a very dangerous situation after Takaichi took office and made the remarks regarding China-related issues, especially the Taiwan issue, indicating relations between China's Taiwan region and Japan. Meanwhile, the defense spending is also increasing," said another protester.
"In particular, Takaichi's remarks on November 7 last year at the Lower House budget committee meeting, specifically regarding the 'survival-threatening situation,' were, in my opinion, tantamount to an act of aggression against China. Japan's intervention in the Taiwan question is entirely external interference and absolutely should not be undertaken. It constitutes an act of war," said another protester.
"I feel very uneasy. I hope there will be more dialogue and alternative approaches. The defense budget seems to have no upper limit. We should consider more peaceful options instead of escalating tensions," said another protester.
Japanese rally to protest against PM's push for military expansion
The chairman and president of the American Chamber of Commerce in South China expressed optimism about U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to China.
Trump landed in the Chinese capital on Wednesday evening for a three-day state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Guangzhou, Harley Seyedin, chairman and president of the chamber, highlighted the visit's critical importance to the chamber's members, which account for about 40 percent of China-U.S. business trade and investment.
"The American Chamber of Commerce in South China has over 2,300 members, which account for about 40 percent of all U.S.-China business trade and investment. Therefore, his trip is extremely important to us, and we're very excited about the fact that he's coming," said Seyedin.
"Certainty is extremely important in business and I do believe that his trip will bring about certainty on a number of issues, especially on investment and cooperation and sales. And I think we will do very well with the fact that he's here. The Greater Bay Area, which consists of Hong Kong, Macao and nine cities on the mainland, has a GDP of 2.1 trillion U.S. dollars. I think the fact that President Trump is here is going to signal that we can continue to expand our business, we can continue to cooperate with our Chinese partners and prosper and benefit from the opportunities that will be available," said Seyedin.
He noted that the visit was crucial to a majority of chamber members who now focus on the Chinese market rather than exports.
"I do believe that his arrival will signal better cooperation in many, many new areas, What this will resolve is the reduction of tariffs and I do expect that reduction in tariff levels that's going to be very important. Seventy-seven percent of the members of the American Chamber of Commerce based in South China are not in the export business anymore. They are primarily here importing from the United States components and parts and products, and manufacturing in China for the Chinese market. So the Chinese market has become very important to us. And therefore President Trump's visit, his cooperation with President Xi Jinping, his meetings are gonna be extremely beneficial in our ability to penetrate the Chinese market, even in a greater way than we have in the past," the chairman said.
He also pointed out opportunities for U.S. companies in China's green industrial transformation, citing collaboration in electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, healthcare, AI, and consumer products.
"China is developing new technologies from which we can benefit by cooperating with our Chinese partners - EVs, batteries as well as health care. China is now the leading innovator of new drugs. We know that we can work together with China on many clinical trials in development of new technology. We can work together in AI areas. We think that AI is not necessarily just defense, it is an area that's very important to business going forward. In addition to that, there are just about every consumer product that you can imagine that we provide here in China, and we're gonna continue to do that," he said.
Trump's China visit to boost investment, cooperation: business leader
