Omer Faruk Madanoglu and Ahmet Furkan Mercan
03 August 2026•Update: 03 August 2026
- Yusuke says he has been carrying pro-Palestinian banners in Tokyo and other Japanese cities for about an hour each day
- He says his aim is to remind people that human rights cannot be taken away by anyone and must be defended
A Japanese activist who has staged daily solo protests in support of Palestine since October 2023 says he will continue speaking out against Israel's genocidal war in Gaza despite what he describes as widespread indifference from the public.
Yusuke Furisawa told Anadolu he has been carrying pro-Palestinian banners in Tokyo and other Japanese cities for about an hour each day, and chants "Free Palestine," "Stop the Genocide," and "Ceasefire Now."
He said he also seeks to draw attention to civilians affected by conflicts in the occupied West Bank, Sudan, Myanmar and other regions.
Yusuke said his aim is to remind people that human rights cannot be taken away by anyone and must be defended.
He said his decision to begin protesting followed the launch of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.
"For a long time, I have felt anger, helplessness and a desire to protest in the face of this reality. That is why, after Israel launched its attacks on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, I decided to take to the streets alone to voice my objection," he said.
Yusuke said he sometimes doubts whether his protests have any impact, but he persists, guided by what he sees as a responsibility to his conscience.
He argued that many people in Japan are not sufficiently informed about Gaza and often show limited interest in domestic or international affairs. He added that many younger Japanese are unfamiliar with the term "genocide."
"As a Japanese citizen, I find that extremely sad. Even if I am alone, I wanted to raise my voice and leave an impression on people. Traditional demonstrations are often seen merely as 'a social movement' and fail to attract people's attention," he said.
Yusuke said protesting alone allows him to demonstrate whenever he wants, although he acknowledged that his message reaches relatively few people.
"Most people who see me remain indifferent. Even when I stand in the middle of the street and raise my voice, most people act as though I don't exist. They ignore me," he said.
He added that while overseas tourists often express support or solidarity, Japanese passersby rarely respond.
Yusuke said he is saddened by what he sees as the deterioration of the global peace order while the killings in Gaza continue.
"Sometimes I ask myself, 'Does doing this in Japan really make any difference?' But no matter how much people may call it 'an empty ideal,' I will continue to say: 'Protect people. Treat people as human beings. Defend human rights. Treat everyone in the world equally and fairly,'" he said.
He said he has no intention of ending the campaign and will continue calling for "Stop the genocide," "End the occupation," "Immediate ceasefire," and "Free Palestine."
