Shotlist Tokyo, Japan - Dec 18, 2025 1. Various of protesters gathering outside National Diet building 2. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) protester (name not given) (partially overlaid with shot 3): "If Takaichi does not retract her relevant remarks, China will absolutely not accept them. This will only further escalate tensions between Japan and China. Therefore, she must deeply reflect on her words and withdraw her erroneous statements. I believe that treating the matter in a perfunctory manner will not work, as she has said. If she doesn't make an official withdrawal, it will be unacceptable for China." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 3. Protesters holding placards [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 4. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) protester (name not given): "It shocked me when Takaichi made her remarks on Taiwan. From a common sense perspective, it is simply unimaginable that she could make such remarks." 5. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) protester (name not given)(partially overlaid with shot 6): "I think any remarks inciting war are unacceptable. We don't want war with any country. Therefore, she must retract her remarks. I believe the government led by Takaichi is a very dangerous government that incites war. We hope to truly build a peaceful country based on Article 9 of Japan's pacifist constitution. We cannot let our country head toward militarism. We must work together to speak out." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 6. Protesters holding placards [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 7. Various of placards 8. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) protester (name not given) (ending with shot 9): "Takaichi wants to revise the three non-nuclear principles, which absolutely cannot be allowed. The three non-nuclear principles are fundamental guidelines that Japan should always uphold. Why is there now a discussion about revising the three non-nuclear principles? For Japan, a country that has clearly stated that it will not possess nuclear weapons, and a country with a pacifist constitution, this is absolutely unacceptable." 9. Protesters 10. Protesters holding placards 11. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) protester (name not given) (ending with shot 12): "The so-called missiles with the 'capability to strike enemy bases' are prohibited by Japan's constitution, as they are used to directly strike other countries. Such weapons should absolutely not be possessed, as they clearly violate the constitution. Japan's defense budget has reached 11 trillion yen, which has led to cuts in people's livelihoods in terms of healthcare, education, and welfare. This is absolutely unacceptable." 12. Various of protesters holding placard, banner 13. National Diet building Storyline Japanese pacifist activists rallied outside National Diet building on Friday night to demand Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi retract her recent provocative remarks regarding China's Taiwan region. At a Diet meeting in early November, Takaichi claimed that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, which drew strong criticism worldwide. At the rally, protesters criticized Takaichi's provocative remarks as war inciting. "If Takaichi does not retract her relevant remarks, which is absolutely unacceptable to China. This will only further escalate tensions between China and Japan. Therefore, she must deeply reflect on her words and withdraw her erroneous statements. I believe that treating the matter in a perfunctory manner will not work, as she has said. If she doesn't make an official withdrawal, it will be unacceptable for China," said a protester. "It shocked me when Takaichi made her remarks on Taiwan. From a common sense perspective, it is simply unimaginable that she could make such remarks," said another protester. The current Constitution of Japan was enacted in 1947 and is known as the pacifist postwar constitution, its Article 9 renounces war and bans the country from maintaining land, sea and air forces, as well as other war potential. A protester urged the government to respect the Article 9 of the constitution. "I think any remarks inciting war are unacceptable. We don't want war with any country. Therefore, she must retract her remarks. I believe the government led by Takaichi is a very dangerous one that incites war. We hope to truly build a peaceful country based on Article 9 of Japan's pacifist constitution. We cannot let our country head toward militarism. We must work together to speak out," said the protester. The protesters also condemned Takaichi's attempt to revise the three non-nuclear principles and increase the defense budget, saying the move violate Japan's commitments to its pacifist constitution. "Takaichi wants to revise the three non-nuclear principles, which absolutely cannot be allowed. The three non-nuclear principles are fundamental guidelines that Japan should always uphold. Why is there now a discussion about revising the three non-nuclear principles? For Japan, a country that has clearly stated that it will not possess nuclear weapons, and a country with a pacifist constitution, this is absolutely unacceptable," said a protester. The Japanese government recently approved a supplementary budget proposal for fiscal 2025 (April 2025 – March 2026), which accelerates defense spending to an unprecedented 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). The protesters warned that the budget proposal will put people's livelihood under strain. "The so-called missiles with the 'capability to strike enemy bases' are prohibited by Japan's constitution, as they are used to directly strike other countries. Such weapons should absolutely not be possessed, as they clearly violate the constitution. Japan's defense budget has reached 11 trillion yen, which has led to cuts in people's livelihoods in terms of healthcare, education, and welfare. This is absolutely unacceptable," said a protester. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]