September 3, 2025

Some residents of Tokyo’s Koto Ward on August 31 staged a protest against a port call of British Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier at the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal located in Koto Ward.

The protesters, out of concern about the expansion of Japan’s military cooperation in a loose alliance which now includes the U.K. in addition to the U.S. under the national security-related legislation (war laws), held up signs that read “No to Japan-U.S.-U.K. war preparations!” and “Don’t turn Japan into a war-capable nation!”

Noting that the terminal was built to accommodate large cruise ships and serve as an international tourism gateway, they angrily stated, “Using it for military purposes is absolutely unacceptable.”

The HMS Prince of Wales forms the core of the U.K. carrier strike group. In August, it conducted joint military training exercises in the Western Pacific to practice landing its F-35B fighter jets on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force “Kaga” escort ship. The carrier docked at the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base (Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Pref.) from August 12 to August 28 and at the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal from August 28 to September 2.

Past related article:
> Yokosuka citizens protest against arrival of UK aircraft carrier Prince of Wales [August 13, 2025]