Hundreds of protesters gathered in the Shinjuku district on Saturday evening to demand that the Japanese government formally apologize to China following a violent security breach at the Chinese Embassy. The demonstration was sparked by the Tuesday arrest of an active-duty Self-Defense Forces (SDF) officer who allegedly scaled the embassy walls and issued death threats against diplomatic staff. Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the citizens urged Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to move beyond labeling the incident as merely “regrettable” and to take full responsibility for the officer’s actions.
The protest highlights growing public frustration over the government’s perceived lack of accountability and the potential for the incident to further damage Sino-Japanese relations. While the Chinese Embassy has lodged a formal “strong protest” and demanded a responsible explanation, the Takaichi administration has yet to offer an official apology or detail specific disciplinary measures for the officer involved. Organizers of the rally emphasized that they were apologizing “on behalf of the government” to prevent the situation from escalating into a larger diplomatic crisis.
Credit : CGTN