March in Tokyo against Myanmar coup

Thousands of mostly silent demonstrators paraded through central Tokyo on Sunday in protest against the coup in Myanmar, many carrying photos of detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi in what organisers said was the largest such march in Japan to date.

More than 4,000 took part in the protest, organisers said, streaming through the downtown shopping areas of Shibuya and Omotesando with posters saying "Help us save Myanmar" and "Stop Crimes Against Humanity". Tokyo police said they couldn't comment on how many people attended the event.

The march came as tens of thousands took to the streets of Myanmar on Sunday in a ninth straight day of protests. Several demonstrations have been held in Japan since the Feb. 1 coup, mainly by Myanmar residents of Japan.

While the detention of elected leader Suu Kyi is currently due to end on Monday, the coup has been denounced by Western countries, with the United States announcing some sanctions on the ruling generals. While other countries also considering measures, Japan and some other Asian nations are unlikely to cut ties given Myanmar's strategic importance in the region.

"It is very heart-rending," said Thant Zaw Htun, 45, originally from Yangon and now an employee at a recruitment agency, referring to the protests in Myanmar.

"I want to go back to Myanmar to join them but cannot because of the situation (travel ban due to the coronavirus pandemic). Instead, I join here today to do what I can do."

While some carried portraits of Suu Kyi, others wore face masks and even earrings bearing Suu Kyi's image. Most remained silent rather than shout slogans as they marched in an effort to prevent spread of the coronavirus. \

"As a Myanmar national, I absolutely cannot accept the military's coup in Myanmar," said Thwe Thwe Tun, 27, who works at a construction company. "I think all Myanmar people in Japan have the same opinion."

Meanwhile, Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Myanmar's major cities for a ninth day of anti-coup demonstrations on Sunday, after a fearful night as residents formed patrols and the army rolled back laws protecting freedoms.

Engineering students marched through downtown Yangon, the biggest city, wearing white and carrying placards demanding the release of former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been in detention since Myanmar's military overthrew her elected government on Feb. 1.

Part of the biggest street protests in more than a decade, a fleet of highway buses rolled slowly through the city, honking their horns in protest.

A convoy on motorbikes and in cars drove through the capital Naypyitaw. In the southeastern coastal town of Dawei, a band played drums in shadows cast by awnings as crowds marched under the hot sun. In Waimaw, in the far northern Kachin state on the banks of the Irrawaddy River, crowds carried flags and sang revolutionary songs. Many of the protesters nationwide held up images of Suu Kyi's face.

Her detention, on charges of importing walkie-talkies, is due to expire on Monday. Her lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw, could not be reached for comment on what was set to happen.