Tokyo Protests Mark Five Years Since Myanmar Coup as Diaspora Demands Action
Hundreds of Myanmar nationals gathered in Tokyo on Sunday to protest the military junta, the event marked five years since the 2021 coup. Demonstrators rallied outside the Foreign Ministry to demand stronger Japanese intervention, they also voiced total rejection of the military's upcoming election plans.
Five Years of Military Rule Fuels Ongoing Resistance
The crisis began in February 2021 when General Min Aung Hlaing seized power, the military detained democratic leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi. This power grab triggered the Civil Disobedience Movement, peaceful protests quickly evolved into armed resistance across the country after brutal crackdowns. Japan has historically maintained a "special relationship" with Myanmar based on aid and investment, this history complicates Tokyo's current diplomatic stance. While Western nations swiftly imposed sanctions, Japan has hesitated to cut ties completely, the government attempts to balance condemnation with engagement.
Crowds Gather Outside Embassy to Denounce Sham Elections
The Sunday rally targeted both the Myanmar Embassy and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hundreds of participants chanted slogans against the military regime. Key demands included an immediate end to lethal airstrikes on civilian targets, protesters also called for the unconditional release of all political prisoners. The crowd specifically rejected the junta's plan for new elections, speakers denounced the upcoming vote as a "fascist" exercise designed to legitimize an illegal government. Placards displayed messages refusing to cast votes in what they termed a "terrorist" process.
Diaspora Population Surges Amid Conflict
Support extended beyond the expatriate community, Japanese labor unions and student organizations joined the march to show solidarity. The scale of these protests reflects a rapidly growing demographic, the number of Myanmar residents in Japan rose from 134,574 in late 2024 to 160,362 by June 2025. This influx has strengthened the organizational capacity of groups like the Japan Myanmar Culture Center, they now coordinate regular lobbying efforts alongside public demonstrations.
Japanese Government Faces Renewed Pressure to Act
The persistence of these protests forces the Japanese government to confront its lenient policy toward the junta, officials face criticism for not matching G7 sanctions. The National Unity Government gains visibility through these events, their representatives in Japan argue that the military has lost control of the country. Continued instability threatens to deepen the humanitarian crisis, the United Nations warns that the conflict generates regional instability that Japan can no longer ignore.
Organizers vowed to sustain their pressure campaign until the military releases all political prisoners, they urged the international community to isolate the junta further.
