Results of Japan's House of Councillors election are out, and the far-right Sanseito party has emerged as one of the biggest winners in this election. They broke into mainstream politics by championing the ‘Japanese First’ platform, targeting immigration as a ‘silent invasion’ in their campaign slogan, and making promises to cut taxes and expand welfare—key factors that won them voter support.
Rising through YouTube, Successfully Enters Mainstream Stage
Sanseito rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic on YouTube, widely spreading conspiracy theories about vaccines and global elites, under the banner of ‘Japanese First’. The party held only 1 seat out of 248 in the House of Councillors three years ago, but in this election, it has made major gains, winning between 10 and 22 seats and successfully stepping onto the mainstream stage.
Sanseito’s 47-year-old representative Sohei Kamiya told Nippon TV (NTV) after the election: "The meaning of the ‘Japanese First’ slogan is to rebuild the livelihoods of the Japanese people by resisting globalization. I am not saying we should completely ban foreigners, nor do I mean that all foreigners should leave Japan."
Political analysts point out that Kamiya's message resonates with voters; Japan's economic troubles are already frustrating enough, and in recent years the weak yen has attracted record numbers of tourists, driving up prices that were already hard for Japanese people to afford.
In rapidly aging Japanese society, the number of foreigners last year reached about 3.8 million. Even though this is only 3% of Japan's total population—a negligible proportion compared to the US and Europe—the number is still a record high.
Inspired by Trump’s Political Style
Kamiya, who previously worked as a supermarket manager and English teacher, said in a pre-election interview with foreign media that he was inspired by the bold political style of US President Trump.
Although right-wing populist policies have not taken as deep a root in Japan as they have in Europe and the US, Kamiya has already been compared to Germany’s Alternative for Germany party and the UK’s Reform Party.
Kamiya said that after the election he plans to follow the example of new European populist parties by forming alliances with other small parties, rather than cooperating with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed Japan for most of the postwar era.
Kamiya declared that the breakthrough in the House of Councillors is only the beginning, with the future goal of winning 50 to 60 seats in the Diet and challenging the existing system.
Japanese Government Steps Up Crackdown on Immigrant Crime
The political landscape in Japan has already shifted to the right due to Sanseito's focus on immigration issues. Shortly before the election, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s government announced a new administrative agency to crack down on ‘crimes and public order disruptions’ committed by foreigners, and his party also vowed to achieve the goal of ‘zero illegal foreigners’.