Latest news with #JapaneseFirst
2 hours ago
- Business
Japan votes in a key election as Prime Minsiter Ishiba faces a loss and political uncertainty
TOKYO -- Japanese were voting Sunday for seats in the smaller of Japan's two parliamentary houses in a key election with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his ruling coalition facing a possible defeat that could worsen the country's political instability. Voters were deciding half of the 248 seats in the upper house, the less powerful of the two chambers in Japan's Diet. Early results were expected Sunday night. Ishiba has set the bar low, wanting a simple majority of 125 seats, which means his Liberal Democratic Party and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito need to win 50 to add to the 75 seats they already have. That is a big retreat from the 141 seats they had pre-election, but media surveys predict big setbacks for Ishiba. A poor performance on Sunday would not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file no-confidence against a leader, but it would certainly deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's political stability. Ishiba would face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner. Soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top issues for frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors have also emerged as a key issue, with a surging right-wing populist party leading the campaign. Sunday's vote comes after Ishiba's coalition lost a majority in the October lower house election, stung by past corruption scandals, and his unpopular government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through parliament. It has been unable to quickly deliver effective measures to mitigate rising prices, including Japan's traditional staple of rice, and dwindling wages. U.S. President Donald Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations, and the lack of sales of U.S. autos and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect Aug. 1 has been another blow for Ishiba. Ishiba has resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect for a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition. Frustrated voters are rapidly turning to emerging populist parties. The eight main opposition groups, however, are too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative. The emerging populist party Sanseito stands out with the toughest anti-foreigner stance with its 'Japanese First' platform that proposes a new agency to centralize policies related to foreigners. The party's populist platform also includes anti-vaccine, anti-globalism and favors traditional gender roles. Conservative to centrist opposition groups, including the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, or CDPJ, the DPP, and Sanseito have gained significant ground at the Liberal Democrats' expense. The spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the election campaign and on social media has triggered protests by human rights activists and alarmed foreign residents.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Japan votes in a key election as Prime Minsiter Ishiba faces a loss and political uncertainty
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese were voting Sunday for seats in the smaller of Japan's two parliamentary houses in a key election with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his ruling coalition facing a possible defeat that could worsen the country's political instability. Voters were deciding half of the 248 seats in the upper house, the less powerful of the two chambers in Japan's Diet. Early results were expected Sunday night. Ishiba has set the bar low, wanting a simple majority of 125 seats, which means his Liberal Democratic Party and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito need to win 50 to add to the 75 seats they already have. That is a big retreat from the 141 seats they had pre-election, but media surveys predict big setbacks for Ishiba. A poor performance on Sunday would not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file no-confidence against a leader, but it would certainly deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's political stability. Ishiba would face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner. Soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top issues for frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors have also emerged as a key issue, with a surging right-wing populist party leading the campaign. Sunday's vote comes after Ishiba's coalition lost a majority in the October lower house election, stung by past corruption scandals, and his unpopular government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through parliament. It has been unable to quickly deliver effective measures to mitigate rising prices, including Japan's traditional staple of rice, and dwindling wages. U.S. President Donald Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations, and the lack of sales of U.S. autos and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect Aug. 1 has been another blow for Ishiba. Ishiba has resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect for a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition. Frustrated voters are rapidly turning to emerging populist parties. The eight main opposition groups, however, are too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative. The emerging populist party Sanseito stands out with the toughest anti-foreigner stance with its 'Japanese First' platform that proposes a new agency to centralize policies related to foreigners. The party's populist platform also includes anti-vaccine, anti-globalism and favors traditional gender roles. Conservative to centrist opposition groups, including the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, or CDPJ, the DPP, and Sanseito have gained significant ground at the Liberal Democrats' expense.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Japan votes in a key election as Prime Minsiter Ishiba faces a loss and political uncertainty
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese were voting Sunday for seats in the smaller of Japan's two parliamentary houses in a key election with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his ruling coalition facing a possible defeat that could worsen the country's political instability. Voters were deciding half of the 248 seats in the upper house, the less powerful of the two chambers in Japan's Diet. Early results were expected Sunday night. Ishiba has set the bar low, wanting a simple majority of 125 seats, which means his Liberal Democratic Party and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito need to win 50 to add to the 75 seats they already have. That is a big retreat from the 141 seats they had pre-election, but media surveys predict big setbacks for Ishiba. A poor performance on Sunday would not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file no-confidence against a leader, but it would certainly deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's political stability. Ishiba would face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner. Soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top issues for frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors have also emerged as a key issue, with a surging right-wing populist party leading the campaign. Sunday's vote comes after Ishiba's coalition lost a majority in the October lower house election, stung by past corruption scandals, and his unpopular government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through parliament. It has been unable to quickly deliver effective measures to mitigate rising prices, including Japan's traditional staple of rice, and dwindling wages. U.S. President Donald Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations, and the lack of sales of U.S. autos and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect Aug. 1 has been another blow for Ishiba. Ishiba has resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect for a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition. Frustrated voters are rapidly turning to emerging populist parties. The eight main opposition groups, however, are too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative. The emerging populist party Sanseito stands out with the toughest anti-foreigner stance with its 'Japanese First' platform that proposes a new agency to centralize policies related to foreigners. The party's populist platform also includes anti-vaccine, anti-globalism and favors traditional gender roles. Conservative to centrist opposition groups, including the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, or CDPJ, the DPP, and Sanseito have gained significant ground at the Liberal Democrats' expense. The spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the election campaign and on social media has triggered protests by human rights activists and alarmed foreign residents. The LDP has almost continuously dominated Japan's postwar politics, contributing to its political stability and social conformity.
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Japan votes in a key election as Prime Minsiter Ishiba faces a loss and political uncertainty
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese were voting Sunday for seats in the smaller of Japan's two parliamentary houses in a key election with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his ruling coalition facing a possible defeat that could worsen the country's political instability. Voters were deciding half of the 248 seats in the upper house, the less powerful of the two chambers in Japan's Diet. Early results were expected Sunday night. Ishiba has set the bar low, wanting a simple majority of 125 seats, which means his Liberal Democratic Party and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito need to win 50 to add to the 75 seats they already have. That is a big retreat from the 141 seats they had pre-election, but media surveys predict big setbacks for Ishiba. A poor performance on Sunday would not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file no-confidence against a leader, but it would certainly deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's political stability. Ishiba would face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner. Soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top issues for frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors have also emerged as a key issue, with a surging right-wing populist party leading the campaign. Sunday's vote comes after Ishiba's coalition lost a majority in the October lower house election , stung by past corruption scandals, and his unpopular government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through parliament. It has been unable to quickly deliver effective measures to mitigate rising prices, including Japan's traditional staple of rice , and dwindling wages. U.S. President Donald Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations, and the lack of sales of U.S. autos and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect Aug. 1 has been another blow for Ishiba. Ishiba has resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect for a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition. Frustrated voters are rapidly turning to emerging populist parties. The eight main opposition groups, however, are too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative. The emerging populist party Sanseito stands out with the toughest anti-foreigner stance with its 'Japanese First' platform that proposes a new agency to centralize policies related to foreigners. The party's populist platform also includes anti-vaccine, anti-globalism and favors traditional gender roles. Conservative to centrist opposition groups, including the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, or CDPJ, the DPP, and Sanseito have gained significant ground at the Liberal Democrats' expense. The spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the election campaign and on social media has triggered protests by human rights activists and alarmed foreign residents. The LDP has almost continuously dominated Japan's postwar politics, contributing to its political stability and social conformity. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Guardian
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Japanese-first' Sanseito party goes into election leveraging unease about foreigners
A disillusioned Japanese electorate feeling the economic pinch goes to the polls on Sunday, as a rightwing party promoting a 'Japanese-first' agenda gains popularity, with fears over foreigners becoming a major election issue. Birthed on YouTube during the Covid-19 pandemic spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal of global elites, the party, Sanseito, has widened its appeal ahead of Sunday's upper house vote – railing against immigration and dragging rhetoric that was once confined to Japan's political fringes into the mainstream. Polls show the party may only secure 10 to 15 of the 125 seats up for grabs, but it is further eroding the support of prime minister Shigeru Ishiba's shaky minority government, which is increasingly beholden to opposition parties as it clings to power. Analysts say a heavy defeat for the ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP) will likely cost Ishiba his job, while a strong showing by the emergent Sanseito could shake up Japan's political landscape. Sanseito's message has resonated in Japan, where global inflation and a devalued yen have pushed up costs, particularly for food, after decades of almost flat prices. Rice prices in Japan near doubled in the year to June, sparking a political crisis and leading to the resignation of a cabinet minister. Wages have failed to keep pace, and the sense of a sluggish economy but comfortable lifestyle has given way to a cost-of-living squeeze and growing pessimism about the future. Those on lower incomes are hardest hit, and it is from there that Sanseito is drawing much of its support. 'Many of its followers are first-time voters – the disaffected who feel the mainstream parties have nothing to offer them,' says Michael Cucek, an expert in Japanese politics at Tokyo's Temple University. In its manifesto, Sanseito calls for a return to traditional family values, repealing the LGBT Understanding Promotion Act, 'protecting Japan's unique cultural heritage', curbing immigration, and paying universal monthly child benefits of 100,000 yen (£500/US$670) while stopping welfare payments to non-Japanese. 'Anti-foreign sentiment that was considered maybe taboo to talk about so openly is now out of the box,' said Jeffrey Hall, a lecturer at Tokyo's Kanda university who has studied Japan's rightwing politics, pointing to Sanseito's online following, appeal among young men and warnings about immigration eroding indigenous cultures. The party's leader, Sohei Kamiya, a former supermarket manager and English teacher, says he has drawn inspiration from US president Donald Trump's 'bold political style'. He has drawn comparisons with rightwing, anti-immigration parties in Europe, such as Germany's AFD and Reform UK. 'In the past, anyone who brought up immigration would be attacked by the left,' Kamiya told Reuters this week. 'We are getting bashed too, but are also gaining support.' The concern over foreign residents comes after Japan recently loosened its relatively strict immigration policies in response to a worsening labour crunch caused by its shrinking and ageing population. The number of foreign-born residents hit a record of 3.8 million in 2024, although that is still just 3% of the total population, a tiny fraction compared with numbers in the US and Europe. With nearly every sector short of workers, most Japanese people accept the need for more labour from overseas. Nevertheless, a large influx of outsiders into a relatively homogenous nation that values cultural conformity has triggered some disquiet. Exacerbating such concerns is misinformation spread on social media, including false claims that a third of welfare recipients are foreigners. The feelings of undecided voters like Tetsuya Kataoka reflect some of the ambivalence towards foreigners. A shortage of workers at his Tokyo company means he has to take on extra shifts as a driver, and he accepts that Japan needs more immigrants to maintain its economy. 'But I'm struggling financially, and when people hear that foreigners are getting welfare – even if it's only a small percentage of them – they wonder why it's being paid to them instead of cutting our taxes,' says Kataoka. Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on 3 July, Kamiya said his party was not in favour of extreme nationalism or protectionism, and was aiming for 'global harmony and mutually beneficial international economic relations but not excessive free trade or disregard for national sovereignty'. Kamiya – who won the party's first seat in 2022 after having gained notoriety for appearing to call for Japan's emperor to take concubines – faced a backlash early in this year's campaign for branding gender equality policies a mistake, as they encourage women to work and keep them from having children. He has since appeared to tone down some controversial ideas formerly embraced by the party. His election manifesto, for example, includes plans to cut taxes and increase child benefits – policies promoted by a raft of opposition parties that led investors to fret about Japan's fiscal health and massive debt pile. Electioneering on Friday in Gifu, central Japan, Kamiya said the party was now aiming for more than triple of its original target of six seats on Sunday: 'With 20 seats, we can submit bills with budgets. Please give us 20 seats.' Cucek thinks it will more likely be in the 10 to 15 range, but that Sanseito will still be able to influence policy. The LDP and other centre-right parties have already reacted to its rise with promises of stricter treatment of foreigners. As well as spelling the end of Ishiba's premiership, Cucek believes that a crushing electoral defeat combined with the desertion of conservative voters to Sanseito would be a 'shake-up that itself will destabilise the LDP', potentially ending the hegemony it has enjoyed since its founding in 1955. With Reuters
