In the bustling streets of Tokyo, Yusuke Furusawa is impossible to miss.
“Free, free Palestine,” he chants loudly to passers-by. Some echo his words under their breath. Others ignore him and walk past him in silence. A few confront him, sometimes aggressively, but none of that stops him.
For more than 600 consecutive days, the 49-year-old carpenter has been protesting alone against Israel's war on Gaza.
In one hand, he carries a Palestinian flag that towers over the rush-hour crowds. In the other hand, he holds a placard that reads in Japanese: “How many thousands of Palestinian children have to die before you raise your voice?”
Around his neck, he wears a keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity, and hanging over his chest is a cardboard sign bearing a message to the world: ‘Stop Gaza genocide’.
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Mr Furusawa has been taking to the streets of Tokyo daily for the past 21 months – calling for an end to the Gaza war and challenging what he says is a cultural tendency towards silence and conformity in Japan.
“I started protesting because I felt angry and powerless,” Mr Furusawa told The National. “In Japanese society, there is an atmosphere that makes people hesitate to speak out about politics and international issues. I want to resist that.”
The activist says he is sometimes met with criticism in the streets of the Japanese capital for being disruptive and noisy, but it has not deterred him.
“From the people of Gaza, I’ve learnt a lot of strength, determination, principle and what is important as a human being,” Mr Furusawa explained. “So, even alone, I will continue to raise my voice and speak up for Gaza.”
Solidarity from Shibuya
His protest is not solely for the people of Japan.
Tokyo is a tourist hotspot, and the activist aims to show that “there are citizens in Japan, the land of the Far East, who are raising their voices in protest” of Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
Since the onset of Israel's war on Gaza, thousands of people in Japan have taken to the streets to demand an immediate ceasefire. Rallies have taken place in busy city districts such as Shibuya, outside the Israeli embassy in Tokyo, and across university campuses as part of a global student movement.
On March 30, protesters calling for an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories gathered in Shibuya to commemorate Palestine's Land Day, when six people were killed in 1976 for protesting against land confiscation by Israel.
On June 15, pro-Palestine supporters took to the streets of Tokyo in support of the March to Gaza movement, which saw thousands of activists attempt to reach Gaza to break Israel's siege on the strip.
These protests reflect a growing trend in Japan, which sees residents gradually becoming more aware and connected to events in the Middle East.
“I didn't expect to see protests in Japan, and whenever you see them, I think people are always surprised and try to avoid them,” Aiko Yamakita, organiser at Kifu for Palestine, a volunteer group that raises funds for Palestinians, told The National.
“But with that [said], I think it's definitely grown over the past year and a half, so we're definitely seeing a shift.”
Yet according to Mr Furusawa, the number of people taking action for Gaza remains "overwhelmingly insufficient". He says it is "regrettable" that the Japanese government has taken a neutral stance on the war, influenced by its relations with the US.
To Gaza and beyond
Despite some of the backlash he receives on the streets, Mr Furusawa’s solo protest has gained significant traction online, earning him hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, and messages of praise and support from Gaza.
In a video pinned to his Instagram, an elderly man from Gaza speaks directly to Mr Furusawa. “You are a great man, you are supporting us, thank you very much,” says the Gaza resident in English. “You are a hero, we never forget you.”
In another clip posted to his feed, children from Gaza can be seen painting the Japanese flag on the wall of a destroyed building, and holding a sign with Mr Furusawa’s name. “We love you,” they tell him through the screen and amid the rubble.
Mr Furusawa follows the news headlines from Gaza closely. The climbing death toll and scenes of the devastating destruction leave him feeling helpless but determined to keep protesting.
“Every day I feel my powerlessness,” he says. “All I can do is continue to raise my voice.”
