Japan: The Lone Activist Protesting for Gaza for Three Years

TOKYO — Japanese social activist Yusuke Furisawa says he has been staging a solitary daily protest in support of Gaza since October 2023, and will continue his campaign despite widespread public indifference. Every day, for about an hour, he stands in Tokyo and other Japanese cities holding banners for Palestine, chanting “Free Palestine,” “Stop the Genocide,” and “Ceasefire Now.” He says his goal is to remind people that human rights cannot be taken away from anyone and must be defended under all circumstances.
As he enters the third year of his daily individual protest, Furisawa said he will keep going despite public apathy and limited attention. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, he explained that his campaign is not limited to Gaza alone — he also tries to draw attention to civilians affected by conflicts in the occupied West Bank, Sudan, Myanmar, and elsewhere.
“My goal is to remind people that human rights cannot be taken from anyone, and that they must be defended no matter what,” Furisawa said. He explained that he decided to begin protesting alone on the streets after the assault on Gaza began: “For a long time, I had been feeling anger, helplessness, and a desire to protest in the face of this reality. So when the attacks on Gaza began in October 2023, I decided to go out alone on the street and register my protest.”
Furisawa admitted that he sometimes doubts whether his protest makes any practical difference, but he continues to follow his conscience regardless: “Sometimes I ask myself whether doing this in Japan really makes a difference. But even if people call it an empty dream, I will keep saying it: protect people, treat human beings humanely, defend human rights, and treat every person in the world equally and fairly.”
According to Furisawa, many people in Japan are not fully aware of the situation in Gaza and show little interest in domestic or global affairs. He said it saddens him that many young people are not even familiar with the term “genocide”: “As a Japanese citizen, this is deeply saddening to me. Even though I am alone, I wanted to raise my voice and leave an impression on people’s minds.”
He added that foreign tourists often express solidarity with him during his protests, but most Japanese passersby pay little attention: “Most people remain indifferent even when they see me. I stand in the middle of the street raising my voice, but often people walk past as if I weren’t even there.”
Furisawa made clear he has no intention of ending his campaign and will continue protesting under the banners “Stop the Genocide,” “End the Occupation,” “Immediate Ceasefire,” and “Free Palestine.”