Extreme right-wing groups are common in any country. In South Korea, too, the demonstrations by these groups can become problematic, and it’s no different in Japan.
During my trip to Japan from September 21 to 27, I witnessed, for the first time, a demonstration by an extreme right-wing group. Fortunately, it was not a large-scale protest. It mainly involved one or two individuals waving Rising Sun Flags, or cars with speakers loudly broadcasting their message while driving along the streets.
“Extreme Right-Wing Group Demonstration in Osaka Namba”
Although I had traveled to Japan several times before, witnessing a demonstration by an extreme right-wing group was a first for me. I could see peculiar vehicles with loudspeakers playing audio and individuals carrying Rising Sun Flags. Despite not understanding Japanese well, just by observing these scenes, I could sense that it was a demonstration by an extreme right-wing group. Walking a bit further, I encountered two people holding Rising Sun Flags and Japanese national flags, demonstrating in front of an intersection.
While I had seen footage of demonstrations by Japanese extreme right-wing groups in videos, witnessing it in person felt different.
“Day of Takeshima?”
The “Day of Takeshima” is a day established by Shimane Prefecture, a local government in Japan, and it was enacted in 2005 as Japan claimed sovereignty over Dokdo. The commemorative event is held annually on February 22 in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. On the same day, a large-scale rally is also held in front of the Osaka Consulate.
Although this demonstration likely had no connection to the “Day of Takeshima,” encountering Rising Sun Flags during my travels left me with mixed feelings.
Nevertheless, experiencing a scene that I had only seen in news videos was intriguing. Even though Japan feels close to us, there were moments when it felt like a distant land.