Tokyo (AFP) - Anti-Christmas protesters calling themselves "Losers with Women" marched through Tokyo's streets Saturday, bashing the upcoming holiday as a capitalist ploy that also discriminates against singletons.

The group of about 20 -- part of the Communist-inspired group that routinely protests Western holidays -- marched under angry banners that read "Smash Christmas!" in Tokyo's Shibuya district, where couples and families strolled for holiday shopping.

The scrooges -- mostly single men -- said they were against capitalism and were opposed to the commercialisation of Christmas.

"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.

"Christmas is the most symbolic event for this," he added.

The man, who identified himself only by the pseudonym MarkWater, said the rally was also in support of unloved men.

"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.

In Japan, Christmas is not an official holiday and is mostly celebrated informally as a romantic event for couples, while the New Year's day is an occasion for family reunion.

The Christian population remains small in the Asian country, stores offer special holiday sales and people decorate Christmas trees at home.

The group has held past marches to denounce imported Western holidays, including rallies against Valentine's Day.