Arab News Japan

TOKYO: About 150 demonstrators converged at the House of Councillors Members’ Office Building in Tokyo on Tuesday, voicing strong opposition to the Japanese government’s proposal to purchase armed drones from Israel.

The protest took place ahead of the Ministry of Defense’s planned bidding process in mid-February. Organizers emphasized that several of the drones under consideration are manufactured in Israel.

Speakers pointed out that Israeli-made drones have been deployed by the Israeli military in Gaza against Palestinians. They warned that purchasing these drones could be seen as endorsing Israel’s acts of genocide and violating international law.

At the rally, FUJITA Susumu, professor emeritus at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, described Israeli military drones over Gaza as both deadly weapons and instruments of surveillance over civilians.

The event also showed a video message from Antony Loewenstein, journalist, and author of “The Palestine Laboratory,” who explained how military technology tested in war zones is later sold and used in other countries.

SUGIHARA Koji, representing the Network Against Japan Arms Trade, criticized Japanese media for not giving enough attention to arms exports and the real impact of military technology on people’s lives.

HIRAYAMA Takamori, currently on a hunger strike outside Japan’s Ministry of Defense to protest the planned drone purchase, also joined the gathering.

Speakers noted that even if the drone purchase is approved on February 17, the government does not expect delivery until May of the following year. This timeline, they said, offers a crucial window for public debate and activism. One speaker urged, “This is neither the beginning nor the end,” motivating people to continue pressing lawmakers.

Organizers explained that their gathering aimed to voice their concerns directly to Japanese lawmakers and raise nationwide awareness about their opposition to Japan’s growing military power, contributing to the broader debate about the country’s place in global security.