Thousands of protesters brave the rain to join Japan Black Lives Matter march

About 3,500 people joined a Black Lives Matter protest in Tokyo on Sunday, marking a second weekend of massive anti-racism and anti-police brutality protests globally triggered by the death of George Floyd in the United States. Holding BLM placards, participants marched through streets in Shibuya and Harajuku districts. Many of them wore face masks and observed some social distancing as the number of new coronavirus cases is on the rise in the capital.

One of the protesters said racism is also an issue in Japan, and minority races such as Korean and Chinese nationals in Japan are being attacked by hate speeches. Even though the movement has gathered momentum, some activists said that awareness of racial issues in Japan is still not enough. Police officers were also on site to help escort protesters and the march ended without any visible trouble.