Over a thousand Japanese citizens rallied outside the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Friday night, demanding that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi retract her recent provocative remarks regarding China's Taiwan region. Chanting slogans such as "Prime Minister Takaichi, don't incite war," "Withdraw your remarks immediately," "Obey the Constitution," the protesters expressed their growing anxiety over Japan's recent defense policy direction and Takaichi's foreign policy stance. Takaichi on November 7 made blatant and provocative remarks on Taiwan at the Diet, claiming that a Taiwan contingency could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, and implying that Japan might invoke the so-called "right to collective self-defense" for armed intervention across the Taiwan Strait. Since then, protesters have taken to the streets in waves. Friday's demonstration marked the third consecutive week of citizen-led rallies in front of the Prime Minister's Office. Others at the rally stressed that Takaichi's comments marked a significant departure from Japan's long-standing diplomatic posture. Protesters also linked their opposition to broader concerns about Japan's future and its role in Asia. Shotlist: Tokyo, Japan - Nov 28, 2025: 1. Various of protesters gathering outside Japan's Prime Minister's Office, holding placards, chanting slogans UPSOUND (Japanese) Protesters: "Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, don't incite war. Withdraw your remarks immediately. Obey the Constitution."; 2. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Protester (name not given/partially overlaid with shot 3): "I believe this violates the Constitution. Such unsettling remarks inherently undermine regional stability. More importantly, I think they go against Article 9 of Japan's Constitution, and therefore should be withdrawn immediately." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]; 3. Sign reading:"Prime Minister's Office" [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]; 4. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Protester (name not given): "I feel very uneasy about Takaichi's comments. I hope she starts prioritizing peace and diplomacy. Military spending has soared, and everyday life already feels unstable."; 5. Sign; protesters; 6. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Protester (name not given/partially overlaid with shot 7): "I hope Sanae Takaichi withdraws her remarks as soon as possible, because I believe what she said was wrong. It benefits no one." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]; 7. Various of protester holding placard [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]; 8. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Protester (name not given/ending with shot 9): "I believe the current administration's approach is fundamentally flawed. I hope steps will be taken to correct its course." 9. Various of protesters holding placards 10. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Protester (name not given/starting with shot 9/ending with shot 11): "Regarding Prime Minister Takaichi's recent remarks, I have only one thing to say -- they must be withdrawn. Her words clearly diverge from the long-standing positions of previous Japanese governments. I sincerely hope she will retract them in earnest."; 11. Protesters lining street, holding placards; 12. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Protester (name not given/starting with shot 11): "If Japan fails to build good relations with its Asian neighbors, its survival in the future will be difficult. That's why I urge Sanae Takaichi to stop these needless provocations. I firmly believe Japan must never again initiate any form of war against other countries. In light of Japan's history of aggression and warfare, our government must seriously reflect and base its future diplomacy and international actions on that reflection."; 13. Various of protesters lining street, holding placards. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]