The group of about 20 – mostly single men – held banners during the protest that read “Smash Christmas!” in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, where couples and families were enjoying the holiday shopping.
The single men, who are part of the Communist-inspired group that routinely protests Western holidays, said they were against capitalism and were opposed to the commercialisation of Christmas.
“In this world, money is extracted from people in love, and happy people support capitalism”, said the head of the organisation, formally called Kakumeiteki Hi-mote Domei, or the Revolutionary Losers’ League.
“Christmas is the most symbolic event for this”, he added.
The man, who identified himself only by the pseudonym MarkWater, said the rally was also a solidarity march for unloved men.
“Unpopular men, who don’t have a girlfriend or are not married, are overly discriminated. We want to break this barrier”, he told AFP amid the shouting protesters.
AFP reports that Christmas is not an official holiday in Japan and is mostly celebrated informally as a romantic event for couples, while the New Year ’s Day is an occasion for family reunion.
The population of Christians in the Asian country are still small but that hasn’t stopped stores from offering special holiday sales or people decorating their homes with Christmas trees.
The Revolutionary Losers’ League has held past marches to denounce imported Western holidays, including rallies against Valentine’s Day.
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