Ultra-Nationalist Demonstrators Overwhelmed by Anti-Racist Counter-Protest
Yesterday, a hard right, ultra-nationalist group known as the Zaitokukai (roughly translated as: “Citizens Against the Special Privileges of Koreans in Japan”) held a meeting of around 100 members in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district, with a demonstration march planned directly after.
Much to the surprise and chagrin of the Zaitokukai, however, they found themselves outnumbered three to one by a huge cluster of counter-protesters holding anti-racist signs and shouting down the right wingers as they marched. Taken together with the momentous J-League punishment of the Urawa Reds for racist fan behavior doled out last week, this clash falls just shy of marking a new trend in Japanese anti-racist sentiments, but it certainly points to an increased dialogue on the topic - possibly in light of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
(for reference, the side holding the rising sun flags are, unsurprisingly, the Zaitokukai.)
Visit source for all pics. Photographer.
//Edit// Can't embed, but I think this is a pretty amazing 8-min cam video from the scene.