News On Japan

Chaos Erupts Between Japanese Patriots and Antifa at Anti-Immigration Rally

OSAKA, Oct 01 (News On Japan) - An anti-immigration rally in Osaka on September 30th descended into chaos as nationalist groups and Antifa counter-protesters clashed in the streets, with loud chants, heated exchanges, and occasional physical altercations captured on camera.

The event, marked by national flags and megaphones, quickly turned confrontational as demonstrators and counter-demonstrators accused each other of racism and violence, drawing the attention of police who struggled to maintain order.

Participants on the nationalist side argued their protest was aimed at the government’s immigration policy rather than at foreigners themselves, insisting that they welcomed foreigners but opposed what they described as uncontrolled entry without proper rules. "We love foreigners, but this demonstration is against the government, not against them," one man holding a flag said, while others used slogans such as "Japanese First," echoing similar populist rhetoric seen abroad. Some protesters, however, voiced openly xenophobic remarks, singling out Africans and Chinese as unwelcome.

Counter-protesters, identifying themselves as Antifa, rejected those claims, calling the rally racist and dangerous. "Discrimination kills, and hate speech cannot be tolerated," one participant said, as groups sought to drown out nationalist chants with chants of "racist out" and music from portable speakers. Others argued that immigration is tied to basic human rights and that opposing it on racial grounds threatens social cohesion in a diverse city like Osaka. "This is not about protecting Japan; this is harassment and hatred," one counter-demonstrator said, adding that their goal was to stop the spread of hate speech in public spaces.

The standoff escalated when protesters and counter-protesters came into direct contact, with accusations of assault exchanged on both sides. One man said he was struck while trying to block a camera, while others described being surrounded and hit by groups of opponents. Shouts of "violence is unacceptable" and "racists out of Japan" rang through the crowd, as police officers attempted to form lines to keep the groups apart. Tensions rose further as foreign residents and bystanders were caught in the confrontation, with some foreigners interviewed expressing both confusion and concern about Japan’s shifting atmosphere.

The rally underscored the growing polarization over immigration in Japan, where only 3 percent of the population is foreign but debates over demographics, labor shortages, and social policy are intensifying. Nationalists warned that higher immigration would bring crime and disorder, while counter-protesters stressed the importance of human rights and inclusion. Both sides predicted that confrontations of this kind are likely to increase.

Source: Interviewing Japan

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Japan’s Diet elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s 104th prime minister on October 21st, making her the first woman to lead Japan and signaling a sharp shift to the right following a turbulent political season marked by party upheavals, coalition realignments, and public frustration over economic stagnation.

Typhoon No. 24 (Fung-shen) is strengthening over the South China Sea and is expected to make landfall in Vietnam later this week, according to forecasts. Satellite images on October 201st show extensive cloud coverage over the central South China Sea. After passing over the Philippines, Fung-shen temporarily weakened but is projected to intensify again as it continues westward through Tuesday.

Kyoto’s world-famous Arashiyama district, a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists, is facing a growing problem of graffiti etched into the bamboo along its iconic “Bamboo Grove Path,” with more than 350 stalks now damaged — a practice that experts warn could eventually cause bamboo to weaken, fall, and even injure visitors.

Japan’s streaming industry is under growing pressure as foreign giants tighten their grip on the domestic market, with Netflix’s latest move to secure exclusive broadcast rights in Japan for every game of the World Baseball Classic next March highlighting the widening gap.

Investigators from the Immigration Services Agency conducted on-site inspections in Osaka on October 14th amid a surge in so-called 'paper companies' created by foreign nationals seeking residency.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Politics NEWS

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Sanae Takaichi and Japan Innovation Party (Ishin) leader Hirofumi Yoshimura held a joint press conference in Tokyo after signing a coalition agreement. The deal aims to strengthen parliamentary cooperation and policy alignment on economic reform and national security.

Maebashi Mayor Akira Ogawa announced his decision to remain in office during an emergency press conference held on October 17th at 3:30 p.m., following public criticism over a scandal involving a meeting with a married city employee at a hotel.

Former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, who served as Japan's 81st prime minister and led the country through major events including the 1995 Kobe earthquake, passed away on the morning of July 14th at a hospital in Oita City. He was 101 years old.

The departure of Komeito from the ruling coalition has thrown Japan’s political landscape into deeper uncertainty, as attention now turns to the prime minister selection vote expected to take place in the Diet next week. With the Liberal Democratic Party’s new president Takaichi aiming for the top post, the outcome will hinge on shifting alliances and last-minute negotiations among rival parties.

Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly decided on October 14th to replace its traditional 18-karat gold member badges with gold-plated ones, in response to soaring gold prices that recently hit a record high.

The abrupt collapse of the long-standing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)–Komeito coalition ahead of the upcoming prime ministerial vote has thrown Japanese politics into flux, complicating the path for Takaichi to take office and intensifying behind-the-scenes maneuvering among all major parties. Takaichi, who visited the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) headquarters earlier this week, was met with criticism over remarks describing an opposition figure as “damaged goods,” a sign of heightened tensions just two days before Komeito’s dramatic departure from the coalition.

The Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki reaffirmed on October 11 that his party will not cooperate with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) in unifying opposition candidates for the upcoming prime minister designation vote in the next extraordinary Diet session.

Komeito leader Saito informed Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Takaichi on October 10 that his party intends to withdraw from their coalition, bringing an end to a political partnership that has lasted 26 years, including periods when the LDP was in opposition. Leaders and secretary-generals of both parties met in the Diet at 1:45 p.m. on October 10 to discuss whether to continue the alliance, with Komeito insisting during the meeting that strengthening regulations on corporate and organizational political donations be accepted as a condition for maintaining the coalition.