Japan - April 2026

In April, large-scale anti-militarization protests took place in Japan, reflecting heightened mobilisation in response to the government’s renewed push to revise the constitution, particularly Article 9 (which renounces war and prohibits maintaining offensive military forces), and expand the country’s defence policy. Demonstrations drew tens of thousands of participants, including approximately 36,000 outside the National Diet (parliament) on 19 April, and were reported in multiple locations nationwide. The protests followed major policy shifts, including the removal of restrictions on arms exports on 21 April, and reflect rising public concern that Japan is moving away from its post-World War II pacifist identity. In a context where large-scale protests on constitutional issues are rare, the scale and generational breadth of participation—including by younger citizens—suggest an intensification of civic engagement and contestation over Japan’s constitutional framework and security policy. 

Sources:  The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Asahi Shimbun, BBC News