A man set himself on fire in front of thousands of people walking between the world’s busiest train station and some of Tokyo’s most-popular stores, in protest of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push to amend Japan’s pacifist constitution to allow for more military missions.

The man in a ubiquitous black salaryman’s suit climbed to the top of a pedestrian overpass outside Shinjuku Station south exit, and sat cross-legged while lecturing passers-by for about an hour with a megaphone.  But he had two plastic bottles filled with liquid with him – And as cops and firefighters tried to get close to him, he poured some of the liquid over him and set it ablaze.  (WARNING – The eyewitness videos of this incident are graphic and disturbing.  View at your own risk.)  They pulled him down, which seemed to only spread the flames a bit more.  Officials haven’t identified the man, believed to be in his 50s, nor have they even let on if he survived.

Shinzo Abe’s cabinet this week is expected to approve a proposal calling for the right to “collective self-defense”, which would allow Japan to play a more assertive role in international security.  It would also allow Japan to more forcefully counter China’s growing military presence and rising regional tensions.

But critics say the change will undermine Article 9 of Japan’s Constitution.  Opposition groups have staged constant but peaceful protests outside the Prime Minister’s official residence.