Angry single men stage anti-Christmas rally in Tokyo

You're wrong. Not Christmas is celebrated but the Christmas Eve. On Christmas day nothing happens.

Protesting the unfairness of life...?

Don Quixote syndrome

“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.

OK, I sort of get it. Sort of. But... is this kind of demonstration really going to help you become more popular?! Or is popularity not your objective, but, rather, to make everyone else as unhappy as you?!

Besides, not to be unsympathetic, but single women have tended to face far more brutal "discrimination" as they have gotten older.

At the very least, it gets them out the house for a few hours so their mums can clean their rooms.

protesters calling themselves losers

Well that says it all, doesn't it

What about protesting the more common Bonenkai season? Not western enough?

Idiotic mama boys! Christmas these days is about giving, not receiving and not about religion. Look around you guys! Why should you be angry at someone putting a smile on a child's face and or expressing love for another person? Show me the religion and harm in the following clip and I will never celebrate Christmas again. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153073045061199&fref=nf

Well I love it. These fine folks took time out of their busy schedule to present us with something different in a world of mind-numbing sameness. Hear hear!

Waaaaah, I get get a girl, so there must be something wrong with the capitalist system.

Once more Ferlinghetti's 'Unfair Arguments with Existence' comes to mind.

I really should check my work before hitting the submit button. I could have sworn I typed "I can't get a girl, so..."

"The group of about 20" ...Does that even count as a special interest group?

I'm all for protesting capitalism, but these guys are silly. How in the world are they discriminated against? Your own feelings of 'loserness' have only you to blame. Maybe they need to learn that calling yourself, or anyone, a loser for not having a partner is probably part of an overall unattractive personality.

They should probably think about the money they are probably saving by not shelling out their winter bonus on gifts and living under their parents roof rent-free.

This movement may be Communist inspired, but irrespective of that, they are right. Christmas is not a capitalist money making festival. It is giving a big present to the 1%.

Last year, I walked in a Mennonites church (a kind of church like Amish church) in NYC,since then,I have three bible study teachers,who teach me bible.They have invited me to attend many kinds of activities. they even took me to other states to live with other church friends.It is a different kinds of life , I like them very much. So, those protesters in Tokyo, you don't have to be a loser, ,just change your thinking a little , then your life will be different .

Well, if they stopped behaving like spoiled brats maybe women would find them attractive.

The group of about 20—part of the Communist-inspired group that routinely protests Western holidays

Reporter: Who are you and what are you protesting?

Group Member: We're a Communist-inspired group and we're protesting the commercialization of Christmas and it's not even a Japanese holiday!

Reporter: So where's the rest of your group?

Group Member: uh....well...they're having a separate rally with their girlfriends protesting from a large suite in a hotel. Which is kind of odd if you ask me because I've never met any of their girlfriends.

'Donate-a-Dork' really out-did themselves this year.

A rally is a good place to meet chicks.

Losers indeed! Instead of complaining about being single they should a good look at themselves and realise why they are single!

Three cheers to ALBALEO's comment!!

Poor unloved young guys - gotta feel sorry for their sad existence.

Why don't the single men rally organize a single women rally and they "accidentally" meet and maybe...just maybe....

As if this would help their cause of being single. What absolutely terrible logic, "Poor us, we are losers when it comes to girls! Look at us and willow in our anger an loneliness." Or just get on with life and you might meet someone who likes you.

These guys have to stop being bitches and man up. I've seen guys literally run away from girls, I mean like really cute girls. I'm like really come on really guy!!

"happy people support capitalism,”

Heck, so do unhappy people!

What is the best answer? A-Communists B-Anti Western C-Losers D-All of the above.

I should have BEEN there.

Uh-oh. The man-o-sphere has broken into Japan. Watch out for the second wave of MGTOWs.

What do these guys do on Valentine's Day?

Now we all know why they may NEVER get married ... just saying ....

Ha! What a bunch if losers. And not just "losers with women" as they call themselves but losers in life.

Unpopular men, who don’t have a girlfriend or are not married, are overly discriminated

Meh. People like this, no matter what will always see discrimination anywhere they go.

well at least there honest, now if they invested a bid of time and money on some personal image/ self esteem courses they may not be as unlucky with the ladies.

Maybe they can protest Oktoberfest not occurring in October as well. Thanks in advance

Ha Ha Ha !!! It happened ONLY in Japan !!!

LOL! If they spent the energy it took in organizing this rally into trying to find a girlfriend, mabye they wouldn't be there.

And...

The scrooges—mostly single men.

Mostly? The ones that are not single better not let thier significant other find out they took part in this rally or else...well...they will NEED to be in this Loser group next year.

What do these guys do on Valentine's Day?

Serrano, probably making friends with tissues.

If I was a Tenga salesman, I would be with this lot making a fortune.

So, out of all the causes these men can devote their energy into, this is what they choose?? No wonder they are losers with women.

Usually it's some self-righreous cleric complaining about not keeping Christ in Christmas. Here we have a revolt of the "Communist-inspired" and self-proclaimed "Losers with Women" against Christmas. They say they are against capitalism, but their problem is more basic.

Abolition of Christmas will not alleviate that basic problem. For men and women who are winners in love it is Christmas every day. That is the harsh truth. There is a simple truth that anyone thinking him or herself should a loser in love should embrace; beauty, charm and attractiveness are matters of persuasion. Convince yourself you possess these qualities and you will be presently surprised.

Now to Christmas. Christmas came into being long before capitalism and it will live long after capitalism. This is because Christmas has always been about excess, self-indulgence and vice. Forget about putting Christ back into Christmas. He was never there, except as an excuse for riotous living it up. Gross materialism is a product of industrial capitalism but fits right in with the Christmas spirit. Christmas drunkenness, gluttony, gambling and fornication were among the reasons why Oliver Cromwell abolished Christmas. (There were violent protests.) Those Christmas traditions continue in events like the office party where usually bland office people get paralytically drunk and deck more than bows of holly.

Christmas is the holiday people love to hate. I suspect it has always been that way. That may account for its ongoing popularity.

Sorry, but if they were TRULY protesting Christmas as a commercial holiday the whole "I feel kuri-bochi and it's not fair! Women should love me!" Element wouldn't even come in to play because that whole "couples day" thing is not the true spirit of Christmas anyway, it's a Japanese spin on it, and a very commercial one. They also wouldn't be advertising themselves.

Oh well, they can cry and hold each other and then rest for a few weeks until the angst about Valentine's starts building and instead of proactively seeking a partner can rail against the world again... and be laughed at.

LOL. certainly explains a lot about Japan.

well I thought it was funny...I feel no need to judge them. Whether they did it for a ironic laugh (I know, this is Japan so they're probably dead-serious) or not, I'll take it that way. I give people credit for "showing up." That's half the battle. Of course you could look at it the other way: Someone once said to Rodney Dangerfield "I feel like %$@#." Rodney looked at him and said, "well, you're half way there."

It is good to protest against something with a sense of optimism but, in this case, there seems to be no hope.

“Unpopular men, who don’t have a girlfriend or are not married, are overly discriminated. We want to break this barrier,”

So break the barrier. I'm sure some of these young guys are pretty well educated and might have a decent job. Meeting a woman and establishing a dating relationship isn't rocket science.

. . . I don't think these "guys" are applying themselves. LoL, and there marching in Shibuya (of all places) a smorgasbord of the hottest japanese women in Tokyo.

Why rob other people of their joy for the holiday because your single?

The real Christmas doesn't discriminate against singles...only the Japanese version.

These guys have really raised the bar. How can you insult a group that is such an insult to themselves already?

They've failed themselves. Maybe, they should apply for lonely men posts and do science or something positive? Join the Tuna Fleet?

Don't wave those right hands around too fellas, you'll be needing them later on.

At the very least, it gets them out the house for a few hours so their mums can clean their rooms. lol I was actually thinking all the internet bandwidth that would be free while there protesting, not watching all those AKB48 videos would certainly bring the average speed up for sure.

Christmas is a foreign holiday that IMO should not be celebrated in Japan.

20 people march... 50+ comments.

Aiser

Christmas isn't a holiday in Japan. The wife and I, and millions of others will be pulling a full shift next Friday....

Guess these dudes will be protesting again next year ... 'cause surely no woman in her right mind would want to be near one of these lunatics ...

This a joke?! lol

Take hanky-panky out of Christmas!

The commercialization of Christmas is also protested against in Austria. (Santa Claus/Father Christmas) Saint Nicholas should be celebrated on December 6th by children receiving presents. December 24/25, Holy Evening and Christmas Day celebrates the birth of the fourth (?) prophet Jesus. The jolly Red and White Santa to celebrate Christmas originated supposedly as a promotion for Coca-Cola in Macy's store (New York) in the 1920s.　I can't verify all this but I have noticed during my life that novels and films set in the nineteenth century or earlier and even a few years later do not mention red and white Santas during Christmas scenes. And in Japan it all gets distorted again. They remove the tree and decorations the day after Christmas! Should be Epiphany I think. (Dec 6) Etc, etc.....

Not really "losers". They get out ther and demonstrate. They don't sit at home with their Gameboys or in front of their laptops, posting inane comments. And yes, I appreciate the irony of my own post ; )

If a Japanese guy can't come up and get a date in Japan, then they must really have some serious social issues. I have seen more than my share of women who are just waiting for a man to come up and talk to them without the expectation that we often read about here in JT with the outlandish requirements to be wined and dined at the finest places, but just want someone to make the first move, and these 20 guys can't do that.

I bet that they don't even know what the real meaning of Christmas is all about. I suggest that they get a copy of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" sit at home and watch it.

Ha, this is so ridiculous. The are protesting because of their own romance issues?

Maybe they should bat for the other team...... problem solved.

lubracasi:

Christmas isn't a holiday in Japan. The wife and I, and millions of others will be pulling a full shift next Friday....

Ha! Exactly.

I've started my holidays and have gone home, because to me, Xmas is about spending time with family. Not eating KFC with a lover on Xmas Eve. I'll be the first to admit it has no religious meaning to me anymore, but then again, if it really were to celebrate Christ's birthday then why isn't Xmas in the summer?

And as for being discriminated against during Xmas and St Valentine's Day in Japan - I'd say non-single people and those working in offices are discriminated against - they're the ones who are always pressured into spending money on chocolates or romantic dinners (ESPECIALLY men with high maintenance girlfriends).

What is it with born losers? Always protesting about something or other instead of just getting on with life to the best of their abilities. Or maybe they just don't have any.

Well, with attitudes like that, no wonder they are losers. Sad that they try to rain on other people's happiness.

Something is terribly wrong if a man has no partner. They must have serious personal issues that make women run in fear.

this protest seems silly, but not total. In the Czech Republic suffers from the commercialization of Christmas. Where is the magic of Christmas and tradition. Government forces us to Western tradition, which does not belong here. Santa Claus, Halloween, and the like. Defend yourself !!!!

This AFP wire story Was reported by Alistair Himmer longtime Tokyo expat who is just pulling your leg.

Not really "losers".

Yes. They're Losers! with a capital "L"

They don't sit at home with their Gameboys or in front of their laptops, posting inane comments.

They're sexually frustrated. Posting inane and frivolous comments is okay for some of us who've been around the block and don't have to be worried about being "discriminated against" because other "Losers" can't get laid.

Well said Farmboy. I think they can't accept the commercialization because it often entails "someone" to get a gift for or to snuggle up with. Leaving those guts with nothing.

If these guys have that much energy and time to spend will its no wonder why they have an excuse for being single. Rather than accept what they already know it is much easier to vent that frustration towards something that has nothing to do with their cause. But let them go out and protest, as it only makes it much easier for me to spend time romancing the girl that these idiots could be spending the time finding rather than complaining. More that merrier so not to worry ,protest awa, I got this.

Ah... Here we go again... I honestly don't get these guys, nor the others. For what it's worth, I don't have a girlfriend, not anymore. But even while I had one, every day felt like a chore, going there... doing that... I'm tired of it. I have seen the both sides of the coin. Both having a girlfriend and friends to hang out with, also having only my best buds and a few girl friends. Right now, I make more than enough as a software developer, to own and live in my own house, spoil myself with a small gift every so often, but most importantly, live a stress-free life. No parents to annoy me to do stuff, no girlfriend to make me drive to the mall to buy that cute, but overlypriced dress, her friends told her about. Every day, I see lots of people forcing themselves to stand in line, maybe for fear of being rejected. I'm tired of it, but luckily I was able to find what makes me happy. Not forcing myself to be "human".

Guys like this are just jealous of other people who have lives. Really it there so unwanted they wouldn't have been the group that they are in. Losers amongst losers! Trying to ruin all of our days., They failed miserably they just gave us something to laugh at today.

I have a degree with many people here. I do not see how this is going to win them a girl or win them love with a girl. However, it may win them some love much the gentleman that they are marching with....afterall they are together marching and making asses of them selves.

at least they are losers with a purpose and express it in a lame way so that no one else cares

Reminds me of the single Japanese man I once knew who refused to spend more on food than the very cheapest brand of instant ramen. And he wondered why he couldn't find a girlfriend ...

They are losers obviously

I can understand that being alone can be rough on a friends, family, and lover time of spending money, feasting, and partying time if you can't do it for whatever reason. I was often too poor to take part. So I gave it up, all the holidays that affected e that way, here in the States, Thanksgiving Christmas, and New Years Eve. That was fifty years ago, end of problem.

Unloved? Or are they upset about just not getting laid? Getting laid is the simpler problem to solve. Getting loved requires effort, and thinking about someone else a bit more than yourself. These young men seem to think it is all about them, their needs, and that may be the problem. Meanwhile what is wrong with having the freedom to do whatever that you want, and not having to worry about someone else not wanting to do it, or trying to make you feel guilty for doing what you want.

They should enjoy it while they have such freedom. That ends soon enough for most men. Meanwhile there are a lot of unhappy married men, or unhappy men with girlfriends. A lot of men can't handle either. As they say, "Be careful what you wish for, you may get it?"

i think this is an excellent and absolutely wondrous protest! I am truly and tearfully sympathetic to these guys..ehem..i am not a loser...try again...i am a sociology major...ehem...go get a life and stop thinking i am a loser, too...get a life, please...haha

A more accurate title would read "Lonely shut-ins don't want everyone else to be as miserable as they are".

So if older women are Kurisumasu Keiki, what are they? Kurisumasu Suwetaa?

"Love is a cosmic joke". Nathasha A. Painter

And not one "looker" amongst them.

Get back to playing video games and ogling sailor moon figurines boys!!

The headline says it all. I just want to add "pathetic" to angry

This is just too hilarious!!

Albaleo, brilliant post up top haha!!!

@Clueless. Agreed. Herbivores, what else can one say?

The people complaining about the capitalism of any holiday, are simply choosing to forget what the holiday is really about, and instead deciding they will focus their time, energy and emotions on attacking that other thing or those other people.

The anticapitalist union of Forever Alone guys... while they are angry to not have some couple to spend Christmas Eve sex..

Enough with all these 'loser' comments. Can some of you not understand that certain people (male and female) are happy NOT to be in a relationship. You can criticize them for making a fuss, but there's nothing wrong with being unattached. This is the same sort of mentality used to put down people who don't want children. There are too many people on this planet, if you ask me. And yes, I do have a partner.

I can fully understand that Christmas has no cultural or historical significance in Japan, so if you don't want to celebrate it, don't. It really is that simple. It's called freedom of choice. But then, being communists, they wouldn't understand that concept.

As for their complaint about Christmas somehow discriminating against single men, this is way off the mark. Christmas is actuallly about spending time with your family, including your parents, grandparents, siblings, etc.

And while I fully agree that retailers do try to over-commercialise Christmas, it's up to you how many presents (if any at all) you wish to give. Again, it comes down to freedom of choice. Just do your own thing and be happy!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Interesting that the older guy at the front of the groups with the sign is hiding his face dont you think...

Maybe they can protest Oktoberfest not occurring in October as well. Thanks in advance

?!?!?!?! What are you saying??! Oktoberfest in April, August and November is one of the GREAT things about Japan!!!

If you are protesting against Christmas its little wonder you can't get a girl! Get out of the group you hang out with and get a life of your own and things may start happening for you.

Ahh yeah, interesting that Japan celebrates Christmas as a wintertime Valentine's Day. Wonder how that came about?

Christmas is not a public holiday, but if the 23rd falls on a Sunday then the 24th is. Actually Christmas Eve is the romantic day, and Christmas itself is just an anti-climax.

“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.

..."so we have taken it upon ourselves to destroy Capitalism by making everyone as pathetic and miserable as we are and that... ...will mean we STILL don't have any girls who want to hang out with us!"

At the very least, it gets them out the house for a few hours so their mums can clean their rooms.

I don't think I've ever seen 82 "Goods" on a post ever before! Excellent observation!

The group of about 20—part of the Communist-inspired group that routinely protests Western holidays—marched under angry banners that read “Smash Christmas!” - article

This is what happens when homosexuality isn't an option.

Hating everyone else's happiness is a psychological malady. These men need counseling.

****So they protest because they are are single, well who's fault is that. If they want to stop moaning and start looking I am sure they will find someone, or are they a complete waste of space.

Alas, that protest has generated more amusement than serious comment--at least from what I've read about from Japanese Internet users on Twitter, Facebook, Gree, LINE and Japanese discussion boards.

Yup, losers. Who would even show up for this? Yup, losers.

Silliness. They should just start a new Xmas tradition for single men--ie, do something fun with other single guys--instead of being party poopers for everyone else. This protest won't solve the issue. To solve it, they gotta find a new angle. I hope they do that and have fun. :)

I think we all should get back to celebrate the original X-Mas, I.e. no presents, commercialisation, midnight mass, etc.

Japan and many other places imported the USA version of X-Mas and added their own stuff(traditions and meanings) to it.

X-Mas = KISS and on the cheap.

Hmm, a group of losers "(about 20)" hold a demonstration and that is headline news? With all the trouble in the world this doesn't seem all that important.

Not much of a story here. Must admit though I struggle with the commercialism of Christmas. For me it is a time to go to Mass and spend time with my family over some good food. Yes some presents get exchanged, but they are but a sideline to what it is all about.

For men, if you are single, it is time to look within for the reasons why, unless of course you want to be single.

Saddening ... Perhaps they should protest against the social enslavement = being slaves to their jobs . When society find acceptable to work 7 days in a week 13 hours in a day or more, no vacations , etc.. then they perhaps must also accept the consequences of such unbalanced choices: No private life, no family ... etc. Sadly in this case no one wins, not the sate ( fewer births, increasing suicides, decreasing/ ageing population ... ) nor the individual ( loneliness, unfulfilled feeling of its existence, despair ) . One would have hard time to believe that's the place where the " middle way " is written in Spiritual Buddhist Japanese Traditions ; and which the west continue to admire even today.