Will Japan's anti-immigrant far-right parties win more votes in key election?
While candidates from across the political spectrum in Japan campaign on familiar issues such as inflation, jobs and defence, a surge in anti-immigrant messaging has also reframed the national conversation ahead of the House of Councillors election on Sunday.
The shift is being driven by the rise of ultraconservative groups like Sanseito, a party founded in 2020, which is polling fourth in opinion surveys among the 10 parties contesting the election. While Sanseito's support remains modest – just 5.9 per cent according to a July 11 NHK poll – more than 33 per cent of voters say they are still undecided.
With the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) struggling to rebound from a string of scandals and polling at just 24 per cent, political analysts say the election could produce a hung result, forcing the LDP to negotiate with smaller parties to retain power.
That may give hardline groups such as Sanseito or other right-leaning contenders – the Conservative Party of Japan (CPJ), the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin), or the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) – the leverage to demand a role in government or even a cabinet seat, according to analysts.
Hiromichi Moteki, a conservative historian who lives in Tokyo, used to be a supporter of the LDP but has grown disillusioned by its present leadership, dismissing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as 'hopeless'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump eyes autumn China trip, but September visit off the table: sources
US President Donald Trump is keen to visit China but a September visit is not happening, according to sources, who said Beijing and Washington were working to secure a trip in October or November. Hurdles remain, but high-level officials 'share a consensus', sources familiar with the matter told the South China Morning Post. Media reports earlier said that China planned to invite Trump to the Victory Parade in Beijing on September 3 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. With September now off the table, Trump might visit China before heading to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in South Korea, or he could meet Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the event between October 30 and November 1, according to sources. Sources also described the Kuala Lumpur meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his US counterpart Marco Rubio earlier this month as 'better than expected'. It was the first in-person engagement between the respective top diplomats – an essential step before any leader-level summit can occur – and both sides praised the meeting as 'positive'. Another person familiar with the discussions said there was a possibility of a meeting later this year, with two options under consideration: Trump could either visit China for bilateral talks before heading to the Apec summit, or attend Apec first and then travel to Beijing.
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Now is the time for a change in the mindset on LGBTQ rights
The freedom to use a suitable public toilet is a human right we can all relate to. Most of us know whether to use a washroom for women or 'gents'. But for transgender people in Hong Kong, the issue can be deeply troubling. Many face a dilemma when using toilets managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. They are required to choose one that corresponds to the sex stated on their identity card, often their gender at birth. Those making the difficult transition to the opposite gender might have to use a women's toilet when looking and dressing like a man, or vice versa. Many are so uncomfortable they don't use public conveniences at all. This unsatisfactory position must now change, with a High Court ruling last week declaring laws making it a criminal offence to use the 'wrong' FEHD toilet unconstitutional. Mr Justice Russell Coleman struck the regulations down, finding them to breach equality and privacy rights. He suspended his ruling for a year, giving the government time to find a solution. The case may seem trivial, but it is of great importance to the transgender community and raises the sensitive question of precisely when, during the transition, a person should be treated as having their acquired gender? Litigant K, who was born female but identified as male from an early age, was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2017. K undertook hormonal treatment and the 'real life experience' of consistently living as a man. An integral part of that process is using public toilets for men. Gender dysphoria is a medical condition that causes much distress and discomfort. It is a biological condition rather than a lifestyle choice, said the judge.
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China calls for global AI centre to reverse ‘fragmented trend' as US tech rivalry deepens
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for the establishment of an international centre to better coordinate global cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) and address the current 'fragmented trend'. The move comes as China looks to expand its influence in the new but rapidly evolving sector amid a bitter tech competition with the United States. Opening the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Saturday, Li said: 'Currently, global AI governance is showing a fragmented trend overall, particularly with significant differences among nations in regulatory approaches, institutional frameworks and rules. 'We should enhance coordination and alignment to establish a widely accepted global governance framework for AI at an early date.' Top AI scholars as well as industrial representatives from China and around the world are attending the three-day event in the Chinese financial and commercial capital. Li's proposal comes days after the US announced its own blueprint on AI development. The White House policy framework released on Wednesday aims to bolster American AI dominance through deregulation, infrastructure investment and expanding AI exports to allies in the technological arms race with China, described by President Donald Trump as a fight that will define the 21st century.
