Leaders of the Social Democratic Party and New Party Sakigake, both non-Cabinet allies of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, took to the streets Wednesday in Tokyo to protest the nuclear tests conducted by India on Monday.
SDP head Takako Doi, speaking from a platform on the back of a van, said the nuclear tests pose "a danger to the world" and cannot be overlooked. She called for concerted efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons worldwide.
"As a country that has three nonnuclear policies, Japan should make more efforts in demanding countries with nuclear capabilities to reduce nuclear weapons," Doi said outside Yurakucho station.
Masayoshi Takemura, the head of Sakigake, also criticized India, saying its action goes against the global tide of reducing nuclear weapons. "India's nuclear tests may ignite the race to acquire nuclear weapons. We must ask ourselves if we have a future when nuclear weapons spread in the world," Takemura said.