TOKYO: Thousands of masked left-wing students, armed with petrol bombs and iron bars, tonight [Nov 16] staged guerrilla raids throughout Tokyo to protest against Japan’s continued close ties with the United States. After five hours of bitter fighting — which paralysed the suburban railway system and threw areas of the capital into utter confusion — Police reported they had arrested 865 demonstrators, including 132 girls. ...

Groups of masked, helmeted radicals staged attacks throughout the capital as a build-up to a planned attack on Tokyo international airport to block Prime Minister Eisaku Sato’s departure tomorrow for a Washington summit meeting. Appearing suddenly, students hurled petrol bombs and stones at Police boxes. ...

The demonstrators included unionists, socialists, pacifists, student and women’s organisations. The opposition socialists drew 70,000 at a rally in Tokyo today. Party Chairman Tomomi Marita charged that Mr Sato was going to Washington to allow nuclear weapons to be brought into Okinawa in return for reversion of the island to Japan. Leftwing student and union organisations are protesting against the summit meeting as indicative of the continued close US-Japan security ties they oppose. — Agencies

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2019