Tens of thousands of protesters rallied outside Japan's parliament on Sunday to oppose security legislation in one of this summer's biggest protests ahead of its anticipated passage next month.

"No to war legislation!" "Scrap the bills now!" and "Abe, quit!" they chanted during the demonstration in the government district in Tokyo, filling the street outside the front gate of the parliament, or Diet.

The demonstrators oppose legislation that would expand Japan's military role under a reinterpretation of the country's war-renouncing constitution.