On Monday 16, Marine Day, a public holiday - unless you work in some higher education institutions or the retail sector - anti nuclear protesters organised a major rally in Yoyogi Park. I got there for the tail end of it. I had classes until 2.30 and had planned to go after that, but I'd left my hat at home and would burn to a crisp faster than you can say nuclear reactor...so delayed getting there until almost 4.The pictures are from the footbridges - it was very windy & I was doing my utmost not to have the ipad blow off...
Saikadou hantai - we oppose the restart, Genpatsu iranai - We don't need nuclear power.
The anti nuclear protesters march out of Yoyogi down Omotesando
with the park & stadium in the background
Saikadou hantai - we oppose the restart, Genpatsu iranai - We don't need nuclear power.
The anti nuclear protesters march out of Yoyogi down Omotesando
with the park & stadium in the background
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| Marching down Omotesando. Protesters are kept to the far left to disturb traffic as minimally as possible. |
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| It was hot day, not for the faint hearted. |
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| There are often breaks in the marchers - the reason for it is that police hold marchers back at the traffic lights which is good for traffic flow but not so good for unity of the march. There is no civil disobedience in the marching - everything is very orderly, in total compliance with the law & the wishes of the police - even when the requests seem intentionally obtuse. |
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| Just as well Tokyo has no real crime... |
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| The very last of the protesters march down Omotesando |
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| The police giving orders. |
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| Police keep protesters on a very tight leash |
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| Lazy lazy journalism. Two journalists talking to two police on the footbridge betwen the stadium and the station. The police had out their notebooks and the journalists copied it down verbatim. According to one of my professors at Sophia, it is customary for police to feed news stories to the media, particularly ones with salacious or gory details. A win win situation - police get their version of events out, the journos don't have to do any work... win win unless you factor in the public and democratic principles. I had dinner with a friend the other day who occasionally mixes with serious bigwigs in Japan, and he summed it up well: "at the top they're all drinking buddies." .. |
4 comments:
Two things struck me: the heat, clearly visible in the video; and how orderly it was. I think these protesters should learn how to toyi-toyi.
PS: I've always thought real investigative journalism in Japan can be found in the weeklies, not the dailies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gQkWMekXeQ
I have been reading up on Toyi Toyi for my next attendance at the protests. I might need to get some tips from you!
I can't understand, actually I can but I wish I didn't, why the story about Ozawa skiving off to Kyoto after Fukushima didn't make the regular papers. I think there should be a thorough expose on which politicians were where after the earthquake - most of them no doubt saving them sorry selves... no doubt.
If the truth ever comes out fully, I imagine history will judge Naoto Kan kindly.
Wow...hot! Do you think the protests are making an impact? I also heard about politicians making a fast break to someplace far away after the disaster. I've got a project on my blog post you might be interested in...
I'm not sure how much of an impact they are making... but while people expect government to solve the problems without taking initiative themselves perhaps not...
I have written a long response to your blog, but wordpress and I have issues. I can't seem to link post on wordpress blogs without it linking to wordpress blogs that I don't want in the public domain (a mediocre group project for uni, and one related to my teaching).
I don't know why it won't just let me reply without a wordpress connection...
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