Screengrab from the Yusuke Furusawa video
Japanese activist refuses handshake with 'Israeli' protester
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
Japanese activist Yusuke Furusawa refused a handshake from an 'Israeli' man who approached him during a pro-Palestine demonstration in Tokyo, sparking a heated exchange over 'Israel’s' war on the Gaza Strip.
Furusawa, 49, was holding a Palestinian flag and chanting "Free Palestine" and "Boycott Israel" during one of his regular demonstrations when the man, carrying an 'Israeli' flag, approached him.
"I want peace," the man said before asking Furusawa to shake his hand.
Furusawa refused, continuing to chant, "Boycott Israel! Free Palestine!"
The man then identified himself as someone who lives in 'Israel' and argued that Furusawa did not understand the situation because he lives in Japan.
He also insisted that 'Israel' is a "peace-loving state."
Furusawa rejected the claim, responding, "No! You are a terrorist state!"
View this post on Instagram
One-man campaign continues
Furusawa has staged daily one-man demonstrations at busy Tokyo urban hubs, including Shinjuku and Shibuya, since October 2023.
Kneeling on sidewalks, often draped in a keffiyeh and holding a Palestinian flag, he spends hours calling for an end to the war in Gaza and chanting slogans including "Free Palestine," "Stop the Genocide" and "Ceasefire Now."
In an earlier interview with Anadolu Agency, Furusawa said he often encounters indifference from local pedestrians, while international tourists are more likely to stop, express solidarity or record his demonstrations.
"Most people who see me remain indifferent," Furusawa said.
"Even when I stand in the middle of the street and raise my voice, most people act as though I don't exist."
Despite the lack of public engagement, Furusawa said he intends to continue his campaign, emphasizing the need to "Protect people. Treat people as human beings. Defend human rights."
He has attributed the reluctance of some Japanese citizens to engage with the demonstrations to social conformity and a broader hesitance to discuss sensitive geopolitical issues in public.
His persistent street vigils have nevertheless gained significant attention online, with footage of his demonstrations reaching audiences around the world and attracting hundreds of thousands of followers across social media platforms.
