25,000 Protest Japan Defence Reforms as Takaichi Approval Falls to 41%
Updated
Updated · AnewZ · Jul 20
25,000 Protest Japan Defence Reforms as Takaichi Approval Falls to 41%
3 articles · Updated · AnewZ · Jul 20
Summary
About 25,000 people rallied outside Japan's National Diet on Sunday, demanding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi resign and scrap defence reforms including changes to the pacifist constitution.
The protest targeted plans to revise Article 9, ease arms export restrictions and reconsider Japan's Three Non-Nuclear Principles, with demonstrators arguing Tokyo is prioritising military expansion over household strains and inflation.
Mainichi's latest nationwide poll put cabinet approval at 41%, down 10 points from a month earlier, while disapproval rose to 44%—the first time opposition has exceeded support under Takaichi.
The backlash hits Takaichi's signature agenda of stronger national security and expanded defence capabilities, and follows similar Tokyo demonstrations in recent months against higher military spending and constitutional revision.
With living costs soaring, can Japan justify its massive defense spending over urgent economic relief for its citizens?
Is Japan's break from its 70-year pacifist constitution an unavoidable necessity or a betrayal of its national identity?
As Japan begins exporting lethal weapons, is it stabilizing Asia or fueling a dangerous new arms race?
Japan at a Crossroads: Takaichi’s Defence Reforms, Public Backlash, and the Future of Article 9
Overview
In April 2026, the Japanese cabinet's move to end the ban on lethal weapon exports marked a sharp break from the country's pacifist constitution. This policy shift quickly sparked strong public opposition and deepened concerns about Japan's future in global conflicts. Public unease, simmering for months, turned into visible divisions and ongoing protests by May. By July, these tensions erupted into mass anti-war demonstrations, signaling that the government's defence reforms had reached a crisis point. The resulting backlash highlighted a growing disconnect between the administration's security agenda and the public's commitment to pacifist values.