Participants carried Palestinian flags and placards while chanting slogans such as “Freedom for Palestine.”
The embassy is located in a narrow alley with limited space, and a heavy police presence prevented protesters from approaching the building directly.
One of the groups that organized the protest, Network Against Japan Arms Trade (NAJAT), announced that the demonstration aimed to deliver a formal protest. “The Israeli ambassador to Japan has changed, and a new ambassador has taken up the post, so we came here today (September 8) to make our voice heard that we wanted our government to expel him,” they said. The group believes Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested, and called on the Japanese government to close the embassy.
Speakers at the protest also criticized Japan’s relationship with Israel, specifically regarding military and weapons cooperation. They denounced the Japanese government’s plans to purchase Israeli drones, which they said were developed through the targeting and killing of Palestinians.
MNA