8 arrested as 1,500 stage rallies in Tokyo against G-8 summit

Monday 30th June, 06:55 AM JST

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12 Comments

medievaltimes at 08:28 AM JST - 30th June

I believe in the right to protest, but these guys are idiots. This form of activism on this type of subject will not cause change. Not effective at all.

This is a way to make their cause and themselves feel validated while bringing about no change at all. Primitive.
Everton2 at 10:10 AM JST - 30th June

History has shown that this type of protest can create the catalyst for real change. It has the function of highlighting the depth of emotions and feelings 'if you will' about the issue. The civil rights and anti Vietnam protests in the US were criticized in the same vain but ultimately brought about substantial reflection and change.
Statistician at 11:56 AM JST - 30th June

Nice to see some political activism in Japan.
weedkila at 12:07 PM JST - 30th June

I wonder whether the cops used provocateurs to stir up trouble and, by doing so, give their colleagues an excuse to crack down on the protesters. This tactic makes the normally peaceful activists look violent and gives them a bad image from the public's point of view.

One man who was aggressively protesting Bush's recent visit to London was recognised as an out-of-uniform police inspector. The same thing happened in Canada during anti-globalist rallies a year or two ago.
whyamiinjapan at 01:20 PM JST - 30th June

Dear medievaltimes,

If they hadn't protested would you even know about the problem? Would you be commenting on it here? I doubt it. Protesting can bring attention to problems but with the unfortunate result that some people get out of hand and get arrested. Those are the worst cases. What about the other "1492" people?

Yes, please stay in your medievaltimes.
WMD at 09:26 PM JST - 30th June

Nothing ever changes without protest from the masses. The elite of society have to kicked into change. That's the way it's always been.
WilliB at 11:02 PM JST - 30th June

Another 50 dollar per barrel rise in the oil prices will do much more against globalization than all these noisy crackpots together. The highter it goes, the less profitable it is to distribute goods and services all over the globe. The whole thing is a product of cheap oil will fade out with cheap oil.
medievaltimes at 11:28 PM JST - 30th June

Nothing ever changes without protest from the masses. The elite of society have to kicked into change. That's the way it's always been.

Not true.
medievaltimes at 11:30 PM JST - 30th June

History has shown that this type of protest can create the catalyst for real change. It has the function of highlighting the depth of emotions and feelings 'if you will' about the issue. The civil rights and anti Vietnam protests in the US were criticized in the same vain but ultimately brought about substantial reflection and change.

This type of protest is greatly different from the ones you mentioned.
medievaltimes at 11:47 PM JST - 30th June

about 500 anti-globalization activists and others staged a separate rally near JR Shinjuku Station, saying there is no need for a summit that brings about environmental destruction and poverty.

Critics assert that the empirical evidence does not support the views of the anti-globalization movement. These critics point to statistical trends which are interpreted to be results of globalization, capitalism, and the economic growth they are purported to encourage. Specifically, the following are common claims made by critics:

--The decrease in the percentage of people in developing countries living below $1 per day (adjusted for inflation and purchasing power), which has halved in only twenty years.

--The world income per head has increased by more over period 2002-2007 than during any other period on the record.

--The doubling of life expectancy in the developing world since WWII.

--The increase in universal suffrage, from no nations in 1900 to 62.5% of all nations in 2000.

--There are similar trends for electric power, cars, radios, and telephones per capita as well as the percentage of the population with access to clean water.
weedkila at 12:47 AM JST - 1st July

Everything sounds very rosy in critics land
oneearth at 02:38 PM JST - 4th July

is ok go up