A group of Japanese peace advocates gathered in front of the Shinjuku Station in Tokyo on Sunday to protest against Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's efforts to revise the country's pacifist constitution, increase defense spending, and ease restrictions on weapons exports.
Many participants at the rally held signs and chanted anti-war slogans, saying that some forces in Japan are attempting to profit from arms sales, risking dragging the country into war.
"I believe that profiting from weapons is absolutely unacceptable. This reflects the audacity of some forces who dare to ignore Japan's past wars of aggression and war crimes, and are attempting to drag Japan back down that dangerous old path. I firmly oppose this. Once Japan deviates from this peaceful path, it will fall into an abyss; I think this position must not be shaken," said a protester.
"The government pours tax money into the military and keeps enacting laws to suppress protests like ours. It is precisely because I cannot tolerate this that I must speak out," said an elderly protester.
Some protesters said the government's dangerous move will push Japan towards a "war state", and urged the government to respect the Article 9 of the constitution as the vital cornerstone of Japan’s postwar pacifist framework, which renounces war and the threat or use of force.
"First, Japan's Constitution explicitly renounces all acts of war. Therefore, we believe that the Liberal Democratic Party's current unilateral push to relax arms export restrictions and amend laws to allow the Self-Defense Forces to be deployed overseas is extremely dangerous. From a Japanese legal perspective, these actions should never have been permitted in the first place," said a protester.
"Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is a crucial legal cornerstone established by Japan after World War II to rebuild friendly relations with the rest of the world and participate in the construction of a new international order. As Japanese citizens, we should cherish this article. At the same time, it also represents a serious constraint imposed on Japan by the international community. To unilaterally amend it without careful consideration would lead to dire consequences. I hope the ruling party will halt this dangerous move," said another protester.
Peace advocates rally in Tokyo to oppose government's push to revise pacifist constitution
Business leaders, researchers and entrepreneurs from around the world gathered at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), where discussions are focusing on turning AI innovation into cross-border partnerships and real-world applications.
The 2026 WAIC is running in Shanghai from Friday to Monday under the theme "AI Partnership for a Brighter Future."
Across the exhibition halls, conversations often extended beyond product demonstrations, with visitors exploring potential partnerships, supply chains and overseas expansion.
Among them was Paolo Brizzi, chief information officer of Italy's Competence Center for Industry and Manufacturing (CIM), who met with a Chinese AI company to discuss cooperation ranging from industrial applications to entering the European market.
"My point is not to be a customer or a provider of technologies, but to identify parts [where we can] actually collaborate and work together," he said.
The four-day conference has also created opportunities for startups to connect with investors, researchers and potential customers. One startup launched an online networking group on the opening day, attracting hundreds of participants who exchanged ideas, explored business opportunities and sought technical solutions.
Participants said AI innovation depends not only on technological breakthroughs but also on cooperation across industries and countries.
"Collaboration is important because alone you cannot do so much. It needs to be a team support ecosystem," said Florian Wohlrab, CEO of Canada-based OpenHW Foundation.
For many international visitors, the conference is also an opportunity to explore how AI can help address practical challenges. Omar Khan, a participant from Pakistan, said international cooperation is essential to ensuring AI benefits everyone.
"I think, for me, we are all the one. We're human and I think we can cooperate a lot," he said.
Some attendees were looking for solutions to challenges in their home countries. A visitor from Kenya said AI applications such as weather forecast and soil analysis could help improve agricultural productivity across many parts of Africa, where farming remains a cornerstone of the economy.
As countries race to advance AI technologies, participants at this year's WAIC said the conference has become a platform for connecting ideas, technology and demand across borders, helping turn AI innovation into practical international cooperation.
World AI Conference highlights growing demand for global AI partnership
