Latest news with #SanseitoParty
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Japanese minister visits controversial shrine to mark end of World War II
A Japanese cabinet minister was among thousands of people to visit a controversial war memorial in Tokyo as Japan marks 80 years since the end of World War II. Agricultural Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Friday paid his respects at the Yasukuni Shrine, a symbol of Japan's militaristic past. He was joined by dozens of national and local politicians from the far-right 'Japan First' Sanseito Party, according to local media. The Shinto shrine was built in the 19th century to honour Japan's war dead, but it is best known for enshrining 14 Japanese 'class A' war criminals and 1,000 others also found guilty by an Allied tribunal after World War II. The Yasukuni Shrine is considered a political lightning rod in East Asia, where memories of Japan's wartime atrocities are not forgotten, but senior Japanese leaders have continued to visit over the years. But the shrine was just one site where Japanese people gathered on Friday to mark 80 years since Emperor Hirohito announced Japan's surrender in an August 15, 1945, radio broadcast. Tokyo formally surrendered a few weeks later on September 2, 1945. Japanese media reported that more than 4,000 people attended the National Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead in Tokyo, including Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Ishiba spoke at the commemoration about the lessons Japan carried from the war. 'We should never repeat the devastation of war. We will never, ever make a mistake in choosing the path to take,' Ishiba said, according to Kyodo News. Ishiba also spoke of Japan's 'remorse' over the war, marking the first time a Japanese prime minister used the term in more than a decade at a war memorial, the news outlet said. Japan famously adopted a pacifist constitution after World War II, but wounds linger from decades of Japanese colonial rule in parts of Asia that lasted from 1895 to 1945. The prime minister stopped short of directly mentioning Japan's wartime aggression and the suffering it caused, a precedent set by past Japanese leaders, Kyodo said. Japan's Emperor Naruhito also attended the event, where he said he was 'overcome with deep emotion' at Japan's transformation since the end of World War II. 'It is my sincere hope that we carry on passing down the stories of the hardships endured during and after the war and continue in unity of spirit to seek peace and the happiness of the people in the future,' he said, according to Japanese media. Japan last week also marked 80 years since the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing more than 200,000 people.
Canberra Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Canberra Times
Japan commemorates 80 years since World War II defeat
As many as 60 national and local lawmakers from Japan's far-right Sanseito Party are also expected at Yasukuni. The Japanese First party wants to curb immigration, which it says is a threat to Japanese culture.
Tokyo Weekender
3 days ago
- Politics
- Tokyo Weekender
Sanseito Is Selling Its Own Branded Beer — Brewed With Foreign Malt
The Sanseito Party has built its brand on 'Japan First.' It rails against foreign influence, calls for greater food self-sufficiency and has even flirted with the idea of closing Japan's borders more tightly. But when it comes to their own branded products, it seems 'Japan First' stops where the supply chain begins. Their latest foray into merchandise — an 'official' party beer — comes in a 350 ml can proudly emblazoned with 'Malt (manufactured overseas)' in the ingredient list. Price tag: ￥600 a can, plus a flat ￥990 shipping fee nationwide. Yes, the 'Japan First' beer costs more to ship than to drink. The beer's ingredient list became a topic in Japan when a photo of the can was posted on X (formerly Twitter), now with nearly four million views. Another image replied with a photo of their own — a close-up of a tag on a T-shirt, presumably official Sanseito merch, that reads, 'Made in China.' The revelations sparked criticism online. Some questioned how a party advocating 'Japan First' could justify using imported ingredients and overseas manufacturing for its own products. One commenter wrote : 'It's absurd to preach '100% food self-sufficiency' and then put foreign products into items with your party's name on them.' Others, however, defended the decision. Supporters argued that incorporating foreign resources does not contradict a 'Japan First' stance. They also pointed out that Japan's domestic barley production is low, and even major beer makers rely heavily on imported malt. That may be true, but it misses the point entirely. The problem isn't that Sanseito can't live up to its own rules — it's that the rules were never meant to be lived by in the first place. 'Japan First' is less a policy and more a performance: a calculated device to stoke xenophobia, galvanize supporters and cast the party as guardian of a threatened nation. Its power lies in fear and resentment more than in the actual substance of its proposed policies. The optics are unmistakable: The Sanseito Party's Japan First platform, now available in a can of foreign-malt beer, shipped with a foreign-made T-shirt. It's a perfect pairing for anyone who enjoys their nationalism like their drinking water — imported, rebranded and sold back at a markup. Discover Tokyo, Every Week Get the city's best stories, under-the-radar spots and exclusive invites delivered straight to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy .
India.com
23-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Who is Sohei Kamiya? Known to be the Donald Trump of Japan, founder of Sanseito party who spoken out against..., won 14 seats in...
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump, in 2015 presidential election, registered a landslide victory by defeating Hillary Clinton. Although Trump lost to Joe Biden in 2019, he made a comeback in 2024 and was re-elected as President of the United States by defeating Kamala Harris by a wide margin. Several other political leaders around the globe have been referred to as the 'Trump' of their country since the US president made the comeback to the 'White House'. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Argentine President Javier Milei, and former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Now, Japanese politician Sohei Kamiya has also been added to this list. His Sanseito Party created a stir by winning 14 seats in Japan's upper house. This raises the question: Who is Sohei Kamiya? All You Need to Know About Sohei Kamiya: Sohei Kamiya once worked as a supermarket manager in Japan. He has worked as an English teacher. Kamiya initially started working in his father's business, but the business went bankrupt Before joining Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), he studied in Canada. However, he later accused the LDP of being driven by profit and left the party, alleging corruption within it. Soon after, he established Sanseito. Kamiya is a reservist in the Japanese military. Kamiya founded his Sanseito party in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like Donald Trump, Kamiya delivers populist speeches and makes similar promises. Like Trump, he has fueled anger against 'globalists' who, he claims, are trying to take over Japan. In addition, he has spoken out against Japan's elite class, immigrants, and taxes. Kamiya delivers speeches like Trump: At a rally in Kagoshima, Kamiya said, 'Under globalization, multinational corporations have altered Japan's policies to serve their own interests.' 'If we fail to resist this foreign pressure, Japan will become a colony!' He has also made a strong appeal for Japan's national identity. He said, 'Japan should be a society that serves the interests of the Japanese people.'
