I could have headed out early to get to the beach, near the club house, to help with a beach clean up. I only found out about it late yesterday and it would mean a 7.00am departure to reach the beach in time. Perhaps if they'd held it in the afternoon...
Suffice to say, my 6.45am body told itself to rest a little longer, for this week classes are on and you return to the gym.
So, next option was to head off in the other direction on the local train line to explore a little town. Just because Sunday.
And then, in my twitter timeline, notice of a gathering at Shinjuku Station for a demonstration against proposed changes to the Japanese Constitution. This is work. Off I went, for research purposes...
It was only a small group that gathered, but at one of the busiest train stations, they picked up a fair bit of passing traffic.
A kind of multi-media presentation using traditional kami-shibai--a traditional storytelling device, acting, street theatre and singing.
And a couple of demonstrations in passing--one related, about US bases on Okinawa, and another about raising the minimum wage--all in a day7s research really.
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| Opposition to amendments |
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| Running through the points |
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| 'Peace! We love Article 9' |
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| The group's banner |
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| A pause as the Okinawans pass through |
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| Could be a dugong, an animal under threat in Okinawa |
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| People of Okinawa don't believe the national government is listening, nor cares, about them |
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| Another version of the script |
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| Every protest needs its song |
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| Now for the minimum wage protestors |
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| Over work I think we all feel that... |
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| Closing comments 'Keep fighting the good fight' |
We don't hear a lot about the demonstrations against the Abe Govt here in Japan. They vary in size, but not in passion, these people today really believe in what they're doing. It is important to listen.
[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 3.35pm-4.42pm; 24 September 2017]
