IN A country that has had almost no experience of mass protest since the 1960s, an unexpectedly large rally in Tokyo on September 19th against nuclear energy was a polished affair. As many as 60,000 people gathered on a public holiday in the city centre. They were given what could have been a menu of lunch options for deciding on which route to march: the A-course, b-course or c-course, carefully chosen to avoid disrupting traffic. Musicians played and pet owners dressed their dogs in anti-nuclear vests. The only hint of menace was the number of people wearing face masks. But that was to keep off flu, not to resemble the Arab street.
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