My wife, Christina Perez and I spent the whole month of March in Tokyo visiting with our son, Nelson who graduated from an electrical program at the Tokyo University of Technology in Hachioji. Our visit was filled with amazing experiences and there is a lot to reflect on. I will do so in future “Tokyo Takes”. But fighting Trump fascism takes precedence so I will report on the No Kings event I attended in Tokyo on March 28^th.

Being in a time zone 16 hours ahead of Pacific time I thought I would be in attendance at the first No Kings rally, but it turns out an old college friend, Jeremy Bluhm, organized a No Kings in Sydney, Australia which is 18 hours in advance of Pacific time.

The rally I attended was held at 2:30 PM in Shimokitazawa right outside the train station of the same name. The neighborhood has a reputation as being a “bohemian” spot featuring small music venues, trendy shops and theaters. Democrats Abroad, an official overseas wing of the national US Democratic Party, organized the rally. When I emerged from the train station there were about 250 participants singing and chanting. I had announced my intention to go to the rally to a forum at Zenroren on March 16^th. Zenroren is the second largest trade union federation and traditionally aligned with the left. I was pleased to see that Zenroren Secretary General  Kurosawa Koichi was present at the rally with a red T-shirt declaring No War in English and Japanese.

The Japanese are absolutely not supportive of Trump’s War on Iran that began February 28^th, the day we left for Japan. The country was roiling as Prime Minster Takaichi prepared to visit Trump in Washington DC on March 19^th. The Constitution mandates that the Japanese Defense Force be used as its name suggests rather that as an aggressive military ally to Donald Trump. Even though Japan depends on the Middle East for up to 95% of its oil – 70% coming through the Straits of Hormuz -the public was opposed to even the deployment of mine sweepers to the Straits of Hormuz. Trump did not help himself in his meeting with the PM when he jocularly suggested that the Japanese should not be dismayed by his surprise attack on Iran given the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.  His remark left the right-wing Premier speechless. 

Zenroren has been a leading force in the peace movement, and I received many questions about the US peace movement at my presentation. The Secretary General is a stalwart peace activist, and I had earlier seen him at a labor rally on March 5^th holding a banner denouncing the war on Iran.

For me it was a no brainer that the No Kings rally would want to hear from this distinguished warrior for peace and justice. However when I asked the organizer from Democrats Abroad that I be allowed to intro him to the rally, she politely told me No that would endanger their tax status as part of the official Democratic Party. I respected her wishes. 

However when it came to solicited audience participation where rally attendees were given the floor to describe their efforts to defeat Trump, I stepped forward and identified myself and explained ILWU efforts in the upcoming mid terms to flip the House of Representatives. My remarks were met with rousing applause. 

Suddenly SG Kurosawa jumped forward and delivered a spirited agitational burst in Japanese that was received with great applause by the expats in the audience who spoke Japanese. Many approached him after the rally concluded to say, “Do mo arigato gozaimasu” Thank you very much.

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