Japanese nationalism is been gaining a head of steam in recent years.
The Abe administration, while reacting fast to ensure a somewhat distorted view of history, has been dragging its feet about clamping down on hate-rallies... which includes hostility against ethnic Koreans living in Japan.
In an attempt to counter the mood, hundreds of citizens took to the streets of Tokyo on Sunday to protest against racial discrimination.
Sohn Jung-in reports.
Around one-thousand people from different ethnic backgrounds gathered on Sunday to march against hate speech at a rally in Tokyo′s bustling Shinjuku district.
The participants wanted to spread a positive message in opposition to hate rallies, holding signs urging peace and reconciliation.
They even chanted a song that called for an end to discrimination against Koreans living in Japan.
"I took part of this rally because we should not allow hate speeches,... not only from Koreans and Chinese but also from us Japanese."
In August, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called on Tokyo to firmly address manifestations of hate and racism, as well as incitements to racist violence and hatred during rallies.
However, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is lukewarm about legislating a law against such rallies, under the pretext of the freedom of speech.
The opposition Democratic Party of Japan plans to submit a bill that prohibits racial discrimination within this month.
"Do you know how Japan is perceived around the world? There′s a strong belief we are way behind in terms of the human rights issue."
While the Shinzo Abe administration drags its feet over legislating a law against racial discrimination, it plans to promptly take action to ban a textbook that says the Japanese military forced women into sex slavery during World War Two.
Sohn Jung-in, Arirang News.
