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On April 12, 2026, thousands of local residents took to the streets of Fujisawa in the Kanagawa Prefecture early, protesting against the development of the first major mosque in the Miyahara district of this city. A two-story building, scheduled to be built in 2027-2028, on a 1,000-square-meter piece of land has elicited intense backlash, as residents believe it will overshadow a nearby old Shinto shrine.

Japanese flags and placards in the hands of protesters were chanting such slogans as, "We don’t want to see a single mosque or Muslim cemetery here!" They questioned the over-saturated roads, the sound of the call to prayer (adhan), the possible need to eat halal, the difference in the manner of burying, and the long-term alterations of the cultural identity of the neighborhood.

Over 2500 formal complaints by locals have already been taken into the account by the project since the end of last year. Although certain counter-protestations in favor of religious freedom were also held, the principal demonstrations have shown an increasing dissatisfaction among the Japanese populace with the rapid demographic change and infrastructure in support of their religions. The viral video series has sparked tremendous social media discussion in the question of preserving culture or integrating into one of the most homogenous societies in the world. The timing of the future of this project still awaits a final decision by the city authorities.