Citizens demonstrating against the controversial state secrets bill are committing "an act terrorism," according to Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba.
In a blog post Friday, he wrote: "If you want to realize your ideas and principles, you should follow the democratic principles, by gaining as much support as you can. I think the strategy of merely shouting one's opinions at the top of one's lungs is not so fundamentally different from an act of terrorism."
In a speech Sunday in Toyama Prefecture, Ishiba maintained his criticism of the rallies being held outside the prime minister's office. More than 1,000 people gathered there last Tuesday when the ruling coalition rammed the state secrets bill through the Lower House.