TOKYO, Oct 3: After suffering heavy losses in the Upper House elections this summer, Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner no longer command a majority in either chamber of parliament. The outcome forced Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to resign and exposed a surge of support for Sanseito, a far-right populist party born from a YouTube channel during the pandemic. Its “Japanese First” campaign mixed anti-immigration appeals with promises of tax cuts, farmer protections, and skepticism toward vaccines, The Japan Times reported.
Despite setbacks, the LDP still holds more seats than any other party, and the lower house remains more powerful than the upper chamber. Yet the rise of Sanseito has rattled Japan’s political establishment, forcing the LDP to seek alliances with smaller groups while preparing to install a new leader on October 4, according to The Japan Times.
Sanseito has fueled controversy with talk of a “silent invasion” by foreigners. Its leader, Sohei Kamiya, once used a slur against ethnic Koreans before apologizing. A 2022 party book claimed that global finance, including “international Jewish capital,” stoked COVID-19 fears. The Japan Times noted that the party later revised the text, denying antisemitism.
Kamiya has framed Sanseito as a movement for struggling middle-aged voters, frustrated by rising living costs and stagnant wages despite record corporate profits. He argues that economic growth is benefiting shareholders, not workers, and pledges fiscal expansion and “fair income distribution.” Interviews with supporters show disillusionment with the LDP and anger at perceived neglect of ordinary Japanese, The Japan Times reported.
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One such supporter is 56-year-old nurse Mieko Kudo, who backs Sanseito’s proposal to cap worker taxes at 35 percent, compared with the current burden of nearly 46 percent. She questions why so much money goes to social insurance when public services seem to deteriorate. “Things aren’t getting better at all,” she said, according to The Japan Times.
Political scientist Masaaki Ito of Seikei University argues that Sanseito appeals to voters who feel overlooked between Japan’s wealthy elites and poorer groups. He said the party’s growth reflects discontent among the middle class, The Japan Times noted.
On social media, resentment is amplified by viral claims that foreigners receive benefits denied to Japanese citizens, such as grants to Chinese students. In reality, most beneficiaries of government education subsidies are Japanese. Still, such narratives fuel suspicion, The Japan Times reported.
Akane Ikeda, a 32-year-old consultant in Fukuoka, said she sympathized with Sanseito’s tough stance on foreign capital but ultimately voted for a mainstream conservative. She described frustration with lax rules that allow outside investors into rural Japan without benefiting local communities, according to The Japan Times.
The government has already moved to tighten policies toward foreigners, raising the capital requirement for foreign businesses to ¥30 million from ¥5 million, restricting tourist driver licenses, and limiting doctoral scholarships for overseas students, according to the Japan Times.
Some Sanseito voters reject accusations of xenophobia, insisting they value hard-working migrants but fear an increase in “low-quality” arrivals. Manufacturing worker Eisuke Kobayashi, 39, said foreigners once strengthened Japan but argued that recent trends raise problems, according to The Japan Times.
Yet migrants are central to Japan’s economy, providing essential labor in elder care and factories. Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda has highlighted that foreign workers accounted for over half of labor force growth between 2023 and 2024, even though they make up only 3 percent of the population, the Japan Times noted.
Sanseito’s appeal also reflects decades of economic malaise. Many voters believe the LDP, in power for most of the past 30 years, has failed to reverse the decline. Kobayashi said Japan’s stagnation has left him disillusioned with establishment politics, the Japan Times reported.
Ito, the Seikei University professor, said the rise of smaller parties reflects a search for alternatives. The challenge, he added, is deciding whether Japan should pursue smaller government or expand public spending, according to The Japan Times.
Sanseito’s youthful energy, bright orange branding, and social media roots have made it stand out in a political system dominated by aging men in gray suits. Yet even some of its backers doubt its staying power. Tokyo business owner Koichi Inoue, 53, said he voted for the party but believes only the LDP has the experience to govern, the Japan Times reported.
