The aim of this article is to analyse Oda Makoto’s role in the peace debate that unfolded in postwar Japan. Oda (1932-2007) was a prolific novelist, an influential exponent of peace thought (‘heiwa no shisō’) as well as the founding father of the ‘Beheiren’ peace movement. Through an analysis of the work ‘Heiwa no rinri to ronri’ (1966) and other seminal essays, this paper will explore the twofold dissent that Oda expressed through its opposition to the Vietnam War. Oda’s peace thought constituted a powerful contestation of the establishment views advocating Japan’s alignment with the United States. At the same time, his refutation of the “victimism” (‘higaisha ishiki’) underpinning the anti-Vietnam War protests provided a criticism of the narratives that had so far dominated the Japanese peace debate.