Protests Against Abe's State Funeral Held Across Japan
Protests against the state funeral of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo took place across Japan on Tuesday, ranging from small gatherings to large-scale events.
Participants said the state funeral was decided on without a proper rationale and the government should have fully explained the reasons for holding one to the public.
One large demonstration started around 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday in central Tokyo, coinciding with the state funeral about 3 kilometers away. Organizers say about 15,000 people took part, including lawmakers of opposition parties.
Former President of Hosei University Tanaka Yuko said that by holding the state funeral the government diminished the Diet, ignored public opinion and destroyed democracy.
Other protestors marched outside the venue for the ceremony on Tuesday.
A citizens' group hosted a rally that morning at a park in Chiyoda Ward, about one kilometer from the Nippon Budokan.
Rally speakers criticized the decision to hold the state funeral for Abe, saying his policies disregarded people with minority views.
Participants then marched toward the arena, holding up signs and chanting anti-funeral slogans. They shouted louder as they neared the venue. Organizers say about 600 people took part in the march.
A university student in his 20s said it was his first time to join a demonstration. He said he was protesting because he had doubts over the need to hold the state funeral. He said people are still divided over the funeral and polls show a majority of the public opposes it.
A woman in her 60s said she cannot condone a state funeral held on ambiguous legal grounds. She said she does not want taxpayer money used to pay for the funeral when many people are struggling to earn a living.
A woman in her 40s from Okinawa said the government's stance of charging ahead with the state funeral and ignoring opposition views is the same way it deals with the issue of US bases in her prefecture. She said not listening to the people is not democracy.
Police deployed to prevent demonstrators in favor of the state funeral gathered near the Nippon Budokan from coming into physical contact with protestors as the groups shouted their opinions.