Anti-nuclear protest in Shinjuku - Tokyo

It has been three months since the Great Tohoku Earthquake shook Japan to its core at 2:46pm on March 11th 2011, destroying thousands of lives in the process and bringing with it the fear of nuclear meltdown from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants, which suffered heavy damage during the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and consequent tsunami.

To mark the three month anniversary of this event, and to increase pressure on the government to shut down the remaining nuclear power plants, the members of Japan's increasing anti-nuclear movement organised a day of protests in various locations around Tokyo. Also, in light of recent statements from TEPCO, in which it was revealed that the actual figures of radioactive material released after the earthquake were higher than initially reported, there has been a call for greater transparency.

The protest was still going strong as the sun went down, with hundreds of protestors lining the streets of Shinjuku, waving "No Nukes!" banners and defying orders from the throngs of policemen to break it up.
A band provided the rhythm for the people, all chanting in unison: 'Genpatsu iranai!' (Nuclear power, we don't need it!) as the police stood around patiently in large groups, awaiting their orders with looks of disinterest and apathy.

At one point a group of around fifty police officers charged into the crowd, but their efforts to break up the protest were in vain. The protestors refused to give up and continued propagating their anti-nuclear message to the eager reporters and civilians in the area; some of whom appeared bemused as to what was going on as they tried to make their way home from work.

In the end, the police relented, allowing the protestors to continue their chants, until the excitement eventually wound down and the crowd slowly emptied into the crammed subways to make their way back home.