OKINAWA — Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faced anti-war chants on June 23 during a ceremony marking 81 years since the Battle of Okinawa, as protesters called to “Protect Article 9” and voiced opposition to moves to expand Japan’s defence posture.
Takaichi, a proponent of stronger security measures amid concerns about China’s assertiveness and North Korea’s missile and nuclear programmes, drew the jeers while attending the solemn memorial in the prefecture that hosts the bulk of U.S. bases in Japan. The interruptions contrasted with the event’s reflective tone and underscored deep local resistance to the concentration of U.S. forces and to policies seen as eroding Japan’s pacifist stance.
Okinawa’s strategic location near Taiwan and the contested Senkaku Islands has made it central to Tokyo’s efforts to bolster defence along the Nansei island chain. Takaichi’s recent comments about possible Japanese involvement in a Taiwan contingency have already strained ties with Beijing.
After the ceremony she told reporters Japan is “not at war” and said the country “can be proud that it has continued on the path of a peace-loving nation throughout the postwar period.” On defence, she said Japan “should strengthen its capabilities by its own initiative to maintain peace and protect lives,” reiterating the government’s move to enhance security in response to regional threats.