The march Japan doesn’t want you to see.
It’s August 15th – anniversary of the end of World War II. Hundreds of riot police line a Tokyo street leading to the controversial Yasukuni shrine – a shrine which remembers Japan’s war dead, including over 1000 men convicted as war criminals, 14 of which are ‘Class A’. On TV there is a lot of coverage of the various high profile ceremonies which happen on this day, as well as talk about high level politicians visiting the shrine. There is absolutely no mention, however, about what happens on this Tokyo street every August 15th or why it’s necessary to deploy riot police.
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Riot Police waiting for something to happen while shoppers shop in the background
Today is a day when Japan’s far right nationalists come out in force and march towards Yasukuni shrine, while their supporters stand on the sidelines to make speeches about the unwelcomeness of foreigners and wait for the left wing ‘counter march’ to arrive.
Hence the riot police, barriers on the street and armoured vans. Meanwhile shoppers in the area go about their business as usual, browsing shop windows and chatting in the street.
Eventually the nationalist march becomes visible. A sea of Japanese flags soon come into sight, and their supporters clap and cheer as they pass. The marchers are relatively neatly dressed, and organised. The police, in their nice shiny almost unused riot gear, simply watch them pass, while shoppers continue to shop – some with children stop and watch the ‘parade’ for a while.
They march into the distance towards the shrine, although not inside it – this side of Japan is not something the media or the government want the world or even the rest of Japan to see, especially on this particular day.
The right wing nationalists march holding up Japanese flags.
Right wing nationalists wait on the street for the left wing protests to pass so they can shout abuse.
About one hour later the police begin to mobilise – placing more barriers, and lining up in formation. The nationalist supporters prepare themselves in the ‘designated protest areas’. Eventually the counter march begins – this is the left’s response.
As it rounds the corner into the main street the first thing you see is police, hundreds of them. So many in fact that it’s almost impossible to make out the protesters. The numbers of protesters are small, very small – even the police outnumber them 3-1. They are visible only because of a few signs that they hold up. In comparison to the nationalists they seem like a disorganised rabble, which is worrying if it is the best Japan can muster to balance out this extreme right wing sentiment. As they move down the road the nationalist supporters shout abuse and try to push down police barriers holding them back. There are scuffles as the nationalist supporters try to run at the left wing protesters, but they only get as far as the police lines.
Riot police mobilise as the left wing march turns into the main street leading to Yasukuni shrine.
The left wing marchers are few in number and completely outnumbered by police.
A right wing supporter scuffles with the police.
Riot police hold back barriers.
The nationalist supporters are generally young and very vocal.
A man wears a Japanese WWII uniform.
The police block off gaps in the barriers.
There is something about this situation, however, that is peculiarly Japanese. Unlike when riot police are deployed in most other countries, here there are no arrests, no stone throwing, and despite the scuffles very little violence, and then only by the most extreme nationalists. The nationalist supporters push at the barriers but give the police just enough time to reinforce before they push harder. The whole thing feels orchestrated, like a battle reenactment. It’s almost like there is an unspoken agreement between the parties involved – they can go so far, but only so far. Everyone can shout and throw abuse while saving face at the same time, and afterwards the police can head back to their police stations and nicely fold away their pristine riot gear until the same time next year.
A man tries to make his point to the riot police.
