This is the power of youths! 15,000 joined anti-nuke demonstration in Koenji, Tokyo

On the afternoon of April 10, 2011, an antinuclear demonstration organized by “Shiroto-no-ran (revolt of laypeople)” recycle shop was held in the Koenji district, Tokyo, following another anti-nuke demonstration held at Shiba Park in Central Tokyo to demand the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant be stopped immediately. A small park near Koenji Railway Station, the starting point of the march, was soon flooded with participants whose number reached 15,000 according to the organizer. Nearly 90% of the participants were youths in their 20s and 30s, and most of them joined this kind of demonstration for the first time after having known it on the Internet. They were very enthusiastically opposing nuclear power plants, heating up the march with various placards and costumes and powerful music. The demonstration joined by a very large number of youths became groundbreaking in Japan’s social movement history. Matsumoto Hajime, the organizer, told reporters, “Something has begun. Otherwise, Japan will collapse”. The live stream broadcasting was viewed by more than 10,000. (M) Photo flash Video (UnionTube) Video (OurPlanet TV) 2,500 joined march at Shiba Park


若者パワーがついに炸裂！～高円寺・反原発デモに15000人
4月10日午後、「浜岡原発すぐ止めて！東京集会&デモ」（芝公園）に続いて、東京・高円寺では「素人の乱」の呼びかけで反原発デモが行われた。駅近くの小さな公園には続々と人が詰めかけ、あっというまにぎっしり埋まり、歩道まであふれかえった。それでも人の波は止まらず15000人（主催者発表）に達した。参加者の9割近くが20～30歳代の若者。それも「デモは初めて。ネットで知った」という人ばかりで、「もう原発はいらない、何か表現しなければ」という必至の思いにあふれていた。思い思いのプラカードや飾り、衣装、そして強烈な音楽で集会デモはヒートアップした。多数の若者が一気に登場した高円寺デモは、日本の社会運動でも画期的な出来事となった。素人の乱の松本哉さんは「何かが始まった。いや、始めなければ日本は滅びる」と記者に語った。また、ユースト中継も1万人以上が視聴した。（M） 写真速報・動画（UnionTube）　　・動画（OurPlanet-TV）　　・芝公園にも2500名