June 18, in Japan's gravest political crisis since the end of World War Two, thousands of students were among the crowds demonstrating outside Premier Kishi's residence and the Parliament buildings, Tokyo.

Before moving off to demonstrate, students attended the funeral of one of their colleagues - a girl who was trampled to death in a clash with police June 15, and were later advised by Tokyo University's President Kaya not to get violent. They then marched off with a photograph of the dead girl, and erected a temporary altar in her honour at one of the gates outside Parliament.

Dancing and singing, or sleeping after hours of demonstrating, students were still outside Parliament at midnight, when the new Japan-US security pact, cause of the trouble, automatically became law as the 30-day period after its passage through the Lower House ended.

The Socialist Opposition and Trades Union General Council protested vigorously and said they would take action.