‘War is over!’ Scuffles in Tokyo as anti-military protesters rally against Abe policy

Scuffles have occurred in Tokyo as scores of anti-military protesters have rallied in front of Japanese parliament, which is on track to pass controversial legislation allowing troops to be deployed abroad for the first time since WWII.

"Scrap the unconstitutional war bills", “Give peace a chance”, “War Is Over”, “Peace, Not War,” said the banners, held by the demonstrators on Wednesday. Some of the participants were carrying the portraits of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with the words “No War”.

Several protesters have been detained during the rally with police dragging them from the site.

演劇人 表現者によるサイレントスタンディング、僕は伊勢志摩 で仕事で参加出来ないのだけど、文学座の仲間が信濃町駅に立ってます！！#0916新横浜決戦 #本当に止める pic.twitter.com/iKYvpOC7qG

— 高橋正徳 (@noritakahashi) September 16, 2015

Japanese lawmakers claim that the bill is necessary as Japan has currently to meet numerous challenges, including China. Its opponents say, however, that it opens a way for Tokyo’s involvement in international conflict.

横浜公聴会に抗議する人々、半端な数ではない。
山本宗補撮影 pic.twitter.com/bAwzJglbt8

— 山本宗補 (@asama888) September 16, 2015

The bill has already been ratified by the lower house of the Japanese parliament, the Diet, despite a 120,000-strong demonstration last month, and will be brought before the upper house this week.

Tokyo has been swept by similar protests recently. On Tuesday about 45,000 protesters rallied in front of parliament against the military legislation, according to organizers, Sogakari Movement.

新横浜シットイン(座り込み抗議) pic.twitter.com/j58ghkNEu4

— sosruko (@yonlee) September 16, 2015

"Abe's government is currently not listening to the voices of the people, and many things are being pulled back to the past in a bad way, so I can't keep quiet, So I came here because I don't want my children or grandchildren to be in a situation like that of during war or before war," 69-year-old protester Yasuko Yanagihara told Reuters.

やつらを通すな！
勝手に決めるな！
強行するな！#0916新横浜決戦 pic.twitter.com/7dcxqY9Gkp

— ＳＡＤＬ (@SADL_OSAKA) September 16, 2015