Latest news with #Japanese-first
MTV Lebanon
3 days ago
- Business
- MTV Lebanon
Japan Heads to Polls in Key Test for Prime Minister Ishiba
Japanese voters headed to the polls on Sunday in a tightly contested upper house election that could unleash political turmoil, with rising prices and immigration concerns threatening to weaken Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's grip on power. Voting ends at 8 p.m. (1100 GMT), when media are expected to project results based on exit polls. Opinion polls suggest Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner Komeito may fall short of the 50 seats needed to retain control of the 248-seat upper house of parliament in an election where half the seats are up for grabs. The polls show that smaller opposition parties pushing for tax cuts and increased public spending are set to gain, among them the right-wing Sanseito which has grabbed voters with slick online messaging about a 'silent invasion' of foreigners. "A lot of my friends are voting for Sanseito," said Rin Kuramoto, a 21-year-old college student. "I think their slogan of 'Japanese-first' is very powerful and easy to understand." Kuramoto, who declined to say which party got her vote, braved sweltering summer heat to cast her ballot at a packed polling station at the Setagaya ward in Tokyo, the capital. About a fifth of registered voters had already cast their ballot before election day, a sharp increase from the last upper house election three years ago, public broadcaster NHK said. That could signal higher turnout, which may not be a good sign for Ishiba's government, although the vote is being held over a bank holiday weekend. A poor showing by his coalition could shake investor confidence in the world's fourth-largest economy and disrupt critical trade talks with the United States, analysts said. Ishiba may have to choose between making way for a new LDP leader or scrambling to secure the backing of some opposition parties with policy compromises, said Rintaro Nishimura, an associate at the Asia Group in Japan. "Each scenario requires the LDP and Komeito to make certain concessions, and will be challenging, as any potential partner has leverage in the negotiations." After the election, Japan faces a deadline of August 1 to strike a trade deal with the United States or face punishing tariffs in its largest export market. These could squeeze the economy and further pressure the government to give financial relief to households already reeling from inflation, including a doubling of rice prices since last year. With an eye on a jittery government bond market, the LDP has called for fiscal restraint and rejected opposition calls for major tax cuts and welfare spending to soften the blow. Ishiba's administration lost its majority in the more powerful lower house in October. That was the LDP's worst showing in 15 years, roiling financial markets and leaving the prime minister vulnerable to no-confidence motions that could topple his administration and trigger a fresh general election. "The LDP has been running the government without resolving anything," said Kaoru Kawai, a 59-year-old novelist who voted for the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Ruled by the LDP for most of the post-war period, Japan has so far largely avoided the social division and fracturing of politics seen in other industrialised democracies.
Business Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Japan's ruling coalition likely to lose upper house majority, exit poll shows
[TOKYO] Japan's ruling coalition is likely to lose its majority in the upper house, an exit poll for Sunday's (Jul 20) election showed, potentially fuelling political instability in the world's fourth-largest economy as a tariff deadline with the United States looms. While the ballot does not directly determine whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's shaky minority government falls, it heaps pressure on the embattled leader who also lost control of the more-powerful lower house in October. Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and coalition partner Komeito needed 50 seats to retain control of the 248-seat upper chamber in an election where half the seats are up for grabs. They are forecast to secure 32 to 51 seats, the exit poll by public broadcaster NHK showed. Smaller opposition parties pushing for tax cuts and increased public spending look set to gain, among them the right-wing Sanseito which has grabbed voters with slick online messaging about a 'silent invasion' of foreigners. 'A lot of my friends are voting for Sanseito,' said Rin Kuramoto, a 21-year-old college student. 'I think their slogan of 'Japanese-first' is very powerful and easy to understand.' Kuramoto, who declined to say which party got her vote, braved sweltering summer heat to cast her ballot at a packed polling station at the Setagaya ward in Tokyo, the capital. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up About a fifth of registered voters had already cast their ballot before election day, a sharp increase from the last upper house election three years ago, public broadcaster NHK said. That could signal higher turnout, which may not be a good sign for Ishiba's government, although the vote is being held over a bank holiday weekend. A poor showing by his coalition could shake investor confidence in the world's fourth-largest economy and disrupt critical trade talks with the United States, analysts said. Ishiba may have to choose between making way for a new LDP leader or scrambling to secure the backing of some opposition parties with policy compromises, said Rintaro Nishimura, an associate at the Asia Group in Japan. 'Each scenario requires the LDP and Komeito to make certain concessions, and will be challenging, as any potential partner has leverage in the negotiations.' After the election, Japan faces a deadline of Aug 1 to strike a trade deal with the US or face punishing tariffs in its largest export market. These could squeeze the economy and further pressure the government to give financial relief to households already reeling from inflation, including a doubling of rice prices since last year. With an eye on a jittery government bond market, the LDP has called for fiscal restraint and rejected opposition calls for major tax cuts and welfare spending to soften the blow. The LDP, which has ruled Japan for most of the post-war period, had its worst showing in 15 years in October's lower house election. That has left Ishiba vulnerable to no-confidence motions that could topple his administration and trigger a fresh general election. 'The LDP has been running the government without resolving anything,' said Kaoru Kawai, a 59-year-old novelist who voted for the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Ruled by the LDP for most of the post-war period, Japan has so far largely avoided the social division and fracturing of politics seen in other industrialised democracies. REUTERS
Business Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Japan heads to polls in key test for Prime Minister Ishiba
[TOKYO] Japanese voters headed to the polls on Sunday (Jul 20) in a tightly contested upper house election that could unleash political turmoil, with rising prices and immigration concerns threatening to weaken Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's grip on power. Voting ends at 8 pm (1100 GMT), when media are expected to project results based on exit polls. Opinion polls suggest Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and coalition partner Komeito may fall short of the 50 seats needed to retain control of the 248-seat upper house of parliament in an election where half the seats are up for grabs. The polls show that smaller opposition parties pushing for tax cuts and increased public spending are set to gain, among them the right-wing Sanseito which has grabbed voters with slick online messaging about a 'silent invasion' of foreigners. 'A lot of my friends are voting for Sanseito,' said Rin Kuramoto, a 21-year-old college student. 'I think their slogan of 'Japanese-first' is very powerful and easy to understand.' Kuramoto, who declined to say which party got her vote, braved sweltering summer heat to cast her ballot at a packed polling station at the Setagaya ward in Tokyo, the capital. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up About a fifth of registered voters had already cast their ballot before election day, a sharp increase from the last upper house election three years ago, public broadcaster NHK said. That could signal higher turnout, which may not be a good sign for Ishiba's government, although the vote is being held over a bank holiday weekend. A poor showing by his coalition could shake investor confidence in the world's fourth-largest economy and disrupt critical trade talks with the United States, analysts said. Ishiba may have to choose between making way for a new LDP leader or scrambling to secure the backing of some opposition parties with policy compromises, said Rintaro Nishimura, an associate at the Asia Group in Japan. 'Each scenario requires the LDP and Komeito to make certain concessions, and will be challenging, as any potential partner has leverage in the negotiations.' After the election, Japan faces a deadline of Aug 1 to strike a trade deal with the US or face punishing tariffs in its largest export market. These could squeeze the economy and further pressure the government to give financial relief to households already reeling from inflation, including a doubling of rice prices since last year. With an eye on a jittery government bond market, the LDP has called for fiscal restraint and rejected opposition calls for major tax cuts and welfare spending to soften the blow. Ishiba's administration lost its majority in the more powerful lower house in October. That was the LDP's worst showing in 15 years, roiling financial markets and leaving the prime minister vulnerable to no-confidence motions that could topple his administration and trigger a fresh general election. 'The LDP has been running the government without resolving anything,' said Kaoru Kawai, a 59-year-old novelist who voted for the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Ruled by the LDP for most of the post-war period, Japan has so far largely avoided the social division and fracturing of politics seen in other industrialised democracies. REUTERS
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
'Japanese-first' party Sanseito denies ties with Russia
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Sanseito Party secretary general Sohei Kamiya delivering a campaign speech ahead of the July 20 upper house elections in the town of Kunitomi, Miyazaki prefecture. Tokyo - A populist party surging in the polls ahead of July 20's national elections in Japan has denied any ties to Russia, after one of its candidates gave an interview to Moscow state media. Japanese politics has long been dominated by the centre-right Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), with populist groups remaining on the fringes. But the right-wing Sanseito party is riding a wave of popular support for its inflammatory 'Japanese-first' platform including opposition to globalism, immigration and foreign capital. Opinion polls suggest it could win more than 10 upper house seats, up from two now, in an election where Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's coalition risks losing its majority. Sanseito's latest controversy surrounds a rookie candidate known only as Saya, who gave Russia's Sputnik news agency an interview that was then published on its Japanese edition's X account on July 14. The sudden appearance on Sputnik sparked a storm of confusion that fuelled speculation on social media that Sanseito was Russia-friendly. Asked if the party had any special ties with Moscow, Sanseito head Sohei Kamiya told an internet news programme on July 15: 'We don't. Not at all. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail Singapore HSA launches anti-vaping checks near 5 institutes of higher learning Singapore Kpod vapes, zombie kids: Why it's time to raise the alarm Singapore NEA monitoring E. coli at Sentosa beaches after elevated bacteria levels delays World Aquatics events Life First look at the new Singapore Oceanarium at Resorts World Sentosa Opinion The workplace needs to step up on mental health to match Singapore's efforts at the national level Singapore Singapore Zoo celebrates reptile baby boom, including hatchings of endangered species Business Market versus mission: What will Income Insurance choose? 'Not with Russia, China or America. We don't. We keep balanced diplomacy with any country', Mr Kamiya said. 'To say we're pro-Russia just because she appeared on Sputnik ... I think that's just too simplistic', he said. Kamiya attributed Saya's Sputnik appearance to 'human error', saying he had no knowledge this was being organised. He clarified that a staffer with no authority had told Ms Saya without prior consultation with the party headquarters that she was allowed to accept Sputnik's interview request. Sanseito's stance on Russia has come under scrutiny before, after Mr Kamiya said Moscow shouldn't be held entirely responsible for the war in Ukraine. 'Russia's military invasion was of course bad, but there are forces in the US that drove Russia into doing that,' he said July 15. 'So I said once that it's not fair to say Russia is the only bad guy here, and then people began saying I'm pro-Russia', he added. Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki said July 16 that 'Japan is also becoming a target' of foreign election interference through social media and other means, according to local media reports. The European Union has banned Sputnik along with other Russian state media for 'disinformation and information manipulation'. The news agency has also been sanctioned by the United States. AFP
Asahi Shimbun
09-07-2025
- Health
- Asahi Shimbun
Sanseito calls for dying patients to bear all costs to prolong lives
Sohei Kamiya, leader of Sanseito, during an interview on June 30 (Asahi Shimbun file photo) MORIOKA—For the Upper House election, the rising opposition party Sanseito has pledged to make terminally ill patients cover all medical expenses for their life-prolonging treatments. 'We included it to raise awareness that you cannot die a good death unless you save,' Sohei Kamiya, the party leader, told reporters here on July 8 when asked about his intentions. In its campaign pledges announced in June, Sanseito cited spending money on 'excessive life-prolonging treatments' as a factor that is driving up the country's overall medical costs. The party said life-sustaining procedures such as gastrostomies and administering intravenous drips would not be performed, in principle. At a news conference on the same day, health minister Takamaro Fukuoka expressed a negative view of Sanseito's plan to make patients pay out of pocket for all life-prolonging treatments. Fukuoka said the issue of end-of-life care is related to bioethics and requires a national discussion, adding that it should be carefully considered. Sanseito, which was founded in 2020, advocates a 'Japanese-first policy' and opposes what it calls 'excessive' acceptance of foreigners. It also takes a conservative stance on other issues, such as the Constitution, and opposes introducing a system that would allow married couples to use different surnames. The party gained three seats in the Lower House election in October and three seats in the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election last month. Kamiya, an Upper House member, told a TV program on July 3 that the party aims to increase its strength from the current two seats to 10 in the July 20 Upper House election.
