
Video: Japan's foreign community reacts to Sanseito's rise
Sanseito's emergence has caught Japan's community of foreign residents by surprise, with the party's anti-foreigner rhetoric causing concern among many Japanese and non-Japanese alike.
In this video, we talk to our non-Japanese colleagues at Nikkei Asia to get their views on what the rise of Sanseito means, and gauge the opinions of the online community.

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The Mainichi
8 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Newly elected legislator LaSalle Ishii arrives at upper house with school backpack
TOKYO -- An extraordinary session of the Diet was convened Aug. 1, with newly elected House of Councillors members arriving at the Diet building for the first time since the July 20 election, including LaSalle Ishii of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who turned up with a small school backpack. Explaining his reason for sporting the "randoseru" backpack, commonly used by elementary school students in Japan, the 69-year-old Ishii said, "It's because I'm a brand new first year student." He was presented with a bouquet of flowers by party leader Mizuho Fukushima. Surrounded by reporters, he remarked, "There are more cameras than ever before. I keenly feel that this is a heavy responsibility." Ishii has a past career as an actor. Regarding his activities as a lawmaker, he expressed enthusiasm, saying, "People say 'the SDP's claims are just nice words,' but I want to advance politics with the mindset, 'What's wrong with having idealistic dreams?'" (Japanese original by Tohru Shirakawa, Tokyo Bureau)


The Mainichi
9 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Editorial: Japan must pass relief bill for WWII civilian air raid victims on 80th anniv.
The Japanese government has yet to provide relief to people who suffered damage from air raids and other atrocities across the country during the Pacific War, and the Diet once again failed to act on this issue during the ordinary session that closed in late June. These people are victims of a war initiated by the state. Nevertheless, the government has done nothing to compensate them. Such absurdities can no longer be left unaddressed. A cross-party group of lawmakers drew up a bill over the issue. It includes a uniform lump-sum payment of 500,000 yen (approx. $3,300) to those who suffered physical and psychological wounds and disabilities. The bill also incorporates a fact-finding survey by the government over the damage wrought by air raids. Due to stalled coordination within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, where some lawmakers have strong reservations, the multiparty parliamentary group was unable to submit the bill to the Diet. The victims of aerial bombings and other damage were significantly disappointed, as they had hoped for legislation this year, the 80th anniversary of the war's end. The Japanese government has paid pension and other benefits to former military personnel and civilian military employees, as well as their bereaved families. However, it has not compensated other civilians except for survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The rhetoric employed to justify this was the "doctrine of endurance obligation" -- that members of the public must equally endure sacrifices and damage from the war. The Supreme Court in 1987 tapped this doctrine to dismiss a lawsuit over the great Nagoya air raids of late World War II, and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba recently stated in response to a Diet question that this precedent cannot be contravened. There have, however, been changes in the judiciary's line of thought. In lawsuits filed in 2007 and 2008 by victims of the 1945 Great Tokyo Air Raids, the court did not cite the endurance doctrine as a reason for ruling against the plaintiffs, and urged a solution through legislation. Regardless, the government has been slow to act. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has emphasized a 2005 agreement by the government and ruling parties that all postwar settlement measures would end with a project to provide consolation gifts to former Siberian labor camp internees. Yet a system to pay special benefits to former Siberian internees was later established. The agreement cannot serve as a basis for denying any new postwar compensation programs. The government's stance seems to betray its true concern: That providing relief to strategic bombing victims could expand the scope of compensation. The cross-party bill does not cover bereaved families and war orphans, because it prioritizes Diet passage over truly sufficient provisions -- a painful decision by the victims of air raids and other wartime damage. While those entitled to the lump-sum payments was expected to be around 4,600 people five years ago when the bill's outline was drafted, the number has now dwindled to about 3,200. As the victims age, we have no time to lose. The relief bill must be passed swiftly into law.


Nikkei Asia
9 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Letter from Nikkei Asia's editor: Thailand and Cambodia step back from the brink
Hello from Tokyo. A ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, following an escalation in clashes that began on Thursday last week, took effect at 0:00 a.m. on Tuesday. At Nikkei Asia, we provided continuous coverage throughout the weekend via live blogs and breaking news updates. When reports emerged that Thailand had deployed F-16 fighter jets against Cambodia, our newsroom braced for the worst: the possibility of full-scale war between the two nations. Fortunately, the conflict -- which claimed more than 40 lives and displaced around 300,000 people -- was halted through mediation by Malaysia, the current chair of ASEAN. Although sporadic violence continued in places even after the ceasefire, the truce -- fragile as it may seem -- has taken hold. For a detailed look at the ceasefire and behind-the-scenes analysis of the two militaries, please read our coverage here. This episode has underscored the fragility of ties among some Southeast Asian nations. Had tensions between Thailand and Cambodia escalated further -- especially amid the ongoing civil war in Myanmar -- it would have delivered a serious blow to the region's economy and political stability. That the crisis was contained within the ASEAN framework is significant. Maintaining regional peace is essential for the bloc at a time when it faces challenges such as intensifying U.S.-China tensions and high tariffs from the Trump administration. Nikkei Asia has a major editorial bureau in Bangkok, and contributing writers in Cambodia helped drive our coverage of the recent events. As editor-in-chief, I am deeply concerned about rising tensions in the region. At the same time, I also take great pride in how our journalists continue to deliver timely, responsible and impartial reporting during crises -- one of our greatest strengths. I invite you to log in to Nikkei Asia and explore our reporting on the turbulent period that unfolded. Nikkei Forum in Melbourne Lastly, I have an announcement. On Aug. 18, Nikkei will host the Nikkei Forum in Melbourne, where experts and our Sydney-based reporters will explore the deepening business and economic ties between Japan and Australia. Online viewing is free, so please register to join the discussion! My suggested reads 1. Australia's auto market is one of the most competitive in the world, and Chinese makers want a bigger slice of it. Our reporter in Sydney visited the imposing off-road track known as Beer O'Clock Hill to see how companies like GWM aim to prove they have both the tech and toughness to muscle out rival brands. 2. Tourism-related stocks in Thailand -- from airlines to hotels and retailers -- have slumped amid falling foreign visitor numbers, particularly from China, making the country's equity market one of the region's worst performers. As our reporter in Bangkok notes, ongoing tensions with Cambodia, despite a ceasefire agreement, may further dampen travel demand and pressure the sector. 3. Faith-based businesses in Malaysia are staging events attracting thousands of people from across the region as demand rises for accessible spiritual inspiration. With tickets, sponsors, merch and vendor booths, these gatherings -- held for both Muslims and Christians -- could easily be mistaken for pop concerts or cultural festivals, just with a higher purpose. Wishing you a wonderful weekend! Akito Tanaka Sign up for the weekly Editor-in-chief's picks newsletter here. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram