STORY: Japanese rally outside PM residence to protest relaxed arms export control
SHOOTING TIME: March 26, 2024
DATELINE: March 27, 2024
LENGTH: 00:032:48
LOCATION: Tokyo
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Japanese citizens protesting in front of the Japanese prime minister's residence
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Japanese): MIZUHO FUKUSHIMA, Head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Japanese): KOJI SUGIHARA, Representative of a local citizen's group named Network Against Japan Arms Trade

STORYLINE:

Many Japanese protesters, amid heavy rainfall, gathered on Tuesday in front of the prime minister's residence to rally against the government's eased defense equipment transfer rules and further relaxation of arms export control.
   
Seen as a significant defense policy shift and another step contrary to the country's pacifist constitution, the Japanese government decided at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday to lift the ban on exporting the next-generation fighter jets set to be jointly developed with Britain and Italy to third countries.
   
Also on Tuesday, the updated guidelines of the "three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology," which would enable the fighter jet shipments, was approved by the cabinet led by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida after Japan's ruling coalition, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party, on March 15 agreed on the revised export rules.
   
Chanting slogans such as "No Weapon Exports," "Strongly Oppose Becoming a Warring Nation" and "Listen to People's Voice," local protesters voiced their concerns against Japan's increasing involvement in the global arms trade, accusing the government of disregarding constitutional principles and the will of the people.
   
Among the protesters stood Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Japanese): MIZUHO FUKUSHIMA, Head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan
"The Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan prohibits the export of weapons.
But it (the Constitution of Japan) has been gradually eroded. The decision to export the next-generation fighter jets overseas was made without any discussion in the parliament but solely among ruling parties. We are strongly against it."
   
Her point was echoed by Koji Sugihara, a representative of a local citizen's group named Network Against Japan Arms Trade.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Japanese): KOJI SUGIHARA, Representative of a local citizen's group named Network Against Japan Arms Trade
"This would be the first time that lethal combat aircraft are being exported overseas, and the decision was made clandestinely. What kind of democracy is this? This is clearly a dictatorship."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tokyo.
(XHTV)