SNA (Tokyo) — The Black Lives Matter movement made an appearance in Tokyo today, expressing solidarity with the US and international campaign to end the police killings of unarmed black men and other reflections of enduring racism in society.

Gathering on a scorching summer afternoon in Shibuya, Tokyo, the march lasted for over an hour. Many curious bystanders watched as the marchers passed with chants such as “Hands up! Don’t shoot!” and “Eric Garner, I can’t breathe!”

Henry Moreland Seals, one of the main organizers, observed, “As a black foreigner in Japan, I am reminded every day by the people I work with, associate with, and consider to be my friends, that my life truly matters to them. In the wake of the police violence and brutality in the States, I wanted to send a message that there are places in this world where you can, as many shades of individuals, have an opportunity to live in peace and find hope.”

In his concluding message to the marchers, Seals continued, “We do not do this alone. You will always have someone helping you. We all know people, different from us, who have loved us, cared for us, and taught us valuable lessons. Loneliness is exactly what our oppressors want us to feel.”

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