International Anti-War Day (Kokusai Hansen Day)

What Is International Anti-War Day?

October 21 is "International Anti-War Day" (Kokusai Hansen Day) in Japan. On October 21, 1966, the General Council of Trade Unions of Japan (Sohyo) held a coordinated action — including strikes — against the Vietnam War, and called on anti-war groups around the world to act on the same day. It is notable as an "international day" that began with a call from Japanese labor unions, and it remains a day to reflect on the value of a society without war.

The Vietnam Anti-War Movement and October 21

In the late 1960s, as the Vietnam War dragged on, anti-war voices spread worldwide.

• Sohyo's unified action: On October 21, 1966, Sohyo called on its member unions to hold strikes and rallies against the Vietnam War across Japan. The action was reported abroad, and from the following year October 21 became a day of anti-war action in many countries.
• Washington, 1967: On October 21, 1967, a large anti-war rally was held in Washington, D.C., followed by a march on the Pentagon.

October 21 in Later Years

• Shinjuku, 1968: On Anti-War Day in 1968, demonstrators clashed with police around Shinjuku Station in Tokyo in what became known as the "Shinjuku Riot," to which the riot statute was applied. It is remembered as a symbol of how intense the student movement was.
• Today: Some groups still hold peace and anti-war gatherings on this day. Note that it is different from the UN's "International Day of Peace" on September 21.

Facts About Peace

• The end of the Vietnam War: The Paris Peace Accords were signed in 1973 and U.S. troops withdrew; Saigon fell in 1975, ending the war. North and South Vietnam were unified in 1976.
• "Positive peace": Peace scholar Johan Galtung distinguished "negative peace" — simply the absence of war — from "positive peace," which also means the absence of structural violence such as poverty and discrimination.
• Music and protest: Many anti-war folk songs were sung around the world in the 1960s, and in Japan gatherings of young people dubbed "folk guerrillas" drew attention.
• The UN's day of peace: The UN designates September 21 as the International Day of Peace and calls for a global ceasefire and non-violence on that day.

Ideas for International Anti-War Day

• Read a book or watch a documentary about the Vietnam War or postwar social movements in Japan.
• Ask grandparents or older people what those times were like. Personal stories teach things textbooks don't.
• Try untangling a small conflict around you through careful conversation.
• Take a moment to thank the people and systems that support our peaceful daily life.

A Day to Reflect on Everyday Peace

October 21 recalls how an anti-war action called by Japanese labor unions more than half a century ago spread around the world. We can work and live with peace of mind only because there is peace. Today, take a moment to appreciate ordinary daily life and to think about what we can do to protect it.