Latest news with #farright
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why a far-right party in Japan made big gains
TOKYO (AP) — A fringe far-right populist party Sanseito was one of the biggest winners in the weekend's upper house election, attracting many voters with 'Japanese First" platform that included calling for tougher restrictions on foreigners and the curtailment of gender equality and diversity policies. Sanseito added 14 seats in Sunday's vote to the one seat already held by its leader in the 248-member upper house, the less powerful of Japan's two-chamber parliament. The surge in the party's popularity came amid the backdrop of a historic loss by the long-governing conservative coalition of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, with Sanseito attracting frustrated voters struggling with economic woes. Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya said Tuesday that he has no interest in forming an alliance with conventional parties like Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party, or LDP. Kamiya said he is open to cooperating with other emerging parties, but he's expected to wait in the hopes of gaining more seats in the more powerful lower house. His ambition is to have more influence to possibly form a multiparty coalition like those in Europe. Started online Sanseito, which translates to 'Participate in Politics,' started in 2020 when Kamiya gathered people on YouTube and social media to create a political group to attract voters discontent with conventional parties. The group began to grow as its members started winning seats in local assemblies, stepping up its presence and grassroots support base. After the start of the coronavirus pandemic, his online approach quickly got traction, fueled partly by an anti-vaccine stance. Sanseito achieved a foothold in national politics in 2022 when Kamiya won a six-year term in the upper house. The party won three seats in the October election in the lower house. The party's 15 seats in the upper house seem like a tiny share compared to the 122 held by Ishiba's governing coalition, but Kamiya has been steadily reaching a much larger audience. Sanseito has gained more than 100,000 YouTube subscribers over the past few weeks to nearly 500,000, compared to the the LDP's 140,000. 'Japanese First' platform Sanseito party stood out from Japan's other parties, with a tough anti-foreigner stance as part of its 'Japanese First' platform, apparently inspired by U.S. President Donald Trump's 'America First' policy. Under his slogan, Kamiya proposes a new agency to handle regulations on foreigners. During the election, the party campaigned for stricter screening for allowing Japanese citizenship and to exclude non-Japanese from welfare benefits. Critics say that the party's stance has encouraged the spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the election campaign and on social media, prompting other ultraconservative candidates to be outspoken. A typical claim is that a rapid increase in foreign workers has hurt Japanese workers' wages and that foreigners use a large share of welfare benefits and have made Japanese society unsafe. That resonated with many Japanese, even though most foreign residents pay taxes and social security as required, and only account for about 3% of both Japan's total population and of welfare benefit recipients. His xenophobic views, antisemitic remarks and emphasis on Japan's ethnic purity have alarmed human rights activists and many experts, prompting protests. Kamiya's party, and another big winner, the Democratic Party for the People, which pushed for an increase of 'take home wages,' attracted workers who feel frustrated and ignored by conventional parties. Fan of Trump policies Kamiya, a former Self-Defense Force reservist and an assembly member in the western town of Suita, promotes an anti-vaccine and anti-globalism platform, while backpedaling on gender equality and sexual diversity. He has repeatedly talked favorably about Trump for taking bold measures. During his campaign, he said that Trump's leadership is part of a growing anti-globalism movement in the West, and that 'we share the same concern.' He also told a party leaders' debate that Trump policies are for protecting U.S. national interest and are good examples that Japan should follow. Kamiya also supported Trump move to repeal decarbonization and diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Fiery speech and contentious remarks Kamiya, a fiery speaker, is also known for stirring controversy and has become a target of scrutiny as his party gained attention. He has blamed the government's gender equality policies for triggering Japan's declining birth rate and population. Kamiya, who opposes allowing a female-line emperor, was also criticized for suggesting that the imperial family would have to turn to concubines, if the government was too slow in taking measures to ensure a stable succession. Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press Sign in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Why a far-right party in Japan made big gains
TOKYO (AP) — A fringe far-right populist party Sanseito was one of the biggest winners in the weekend's upper house election, attracting many voters with 'Japanese First' platform that included calling for tougher restrictions on foreigners and the curtailment of gender equality and diversity policies. Sanseito added 14 seats in Sunday's vote to the one seat already held by its leader in the 248-member upper house, the less powerful of Japan's two-chamber parliament. The surge in the party's popularity came amid the backdrop of a historic loss by the long-governing conservative coalition of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, with Sanseito attracting frustrated voters struggling with economic woes. Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya said Tuesday that he has no interest in forming an alliance with conventional parties like Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party, or LDP. Kamiya said he is open to cooperating with other emerging parties, but he's expected to wait in the hopes of gaining more seats in the more powerful lower house. His ambition is to have more influence to possibly form a multiparty coalition like those in Europe. Started online Sanseito, which translates to 'Participate in Politics,' started in 2020 when Kamiya gathered people on YouTube and social media to create a political group to attract voters discontent with conventional parties. The group began to grow as its members started winning seats in local assemblies, stepping up its presence and grassroots support base. After the start of the coronavirus pandemic, his online approach quickly got traction, fueled partly by an anti-vaccine stance. Sanseito achieved a foothold in national politics in 2022 when Kamiya won a six-year term in the upper house. The party won three seats in the October election in the lower house. The party's 15 seats in the upper house seem like a tiny share compared to the 122 held by Ishiba's governing coalition, but Kamiya has been steadily reaching a much larger audience. Sanseito has gained more than 100,000 YouTube subscribers over the past few weeks to nearly 500,000, compared to the the LDP's 140,000. 'Japanese First' platform Sanseito party stood out from Japan's other parties, with a tough anti-foreigner stance as part of its 'Japanese First' platform, apparently inspired by U.S. President Donald Trump's 'America First' policy. Under his slogan, Kamiya proposes a new agency to handle regulations on foreigners. During the election, the party campaigned for stricter screening for allowing Japanese citizenship and to exclude non-Japanese from welfare benefits. Critics say that the party's stance has encouraged the spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the election campaign and on social media, prompting other ultraconservative candidates to be outspoken. A typical claim is that a rapid increase in foreign workers has hurt Japanese workers' wages and that foreigners use a large share of welfare benefits and have made Japanese society unsafe. That resonated with many Japanese, even though most foreign residents pay taxes and social security as required, and only account for about 3% of both Japan's total population and of welfare benefit recipients. His xenophobic views, antisemitic remarks and emphasis on Japan's ethnic purity have alarmed human rights activists and many experts, prompting protests. Kamiya's party, and another big winner, the Democratic Party for the People, which pushed for an increase of 'take home wages,' attracted workers who feel frustrated and ignored by conventional parties. Fan of Trump policies Kamiya, a former Self-Defense Force reservist and an assembly member in the western town of Suita, promotes an anti-vaccine and anti-globalism platform, while backpedaling on gender equality and sexual diversity. He has repeatedly talked favorably about Trump for taking bold measures. During his campaign, he said that Trump's leadership is part of a growing anti-globalism movement in the West, and that 'we share the same concern.' He also told a party leaders' debate that Trump policies are for protecting U.S. national interest and are good examples that Japan should follow. Kamiya also supported Trump move to repeal decarbonization and diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Fiery speech and contentious remarks Kamiya, a fiery speaker, is also known for stirring controversy and has become a target of scrutiny as his party gained attention. He has blamed the government's gender equality policies for triggering Japan's declining birth rate and population. Kamiya, who opposes allowing a female-line emperor, was also criticized for suggesting that the imperial family would have to turn to concubines, if the government was too slow in taking measures to ensure a stable succession.
Geek Culture
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
James Gunn Confused Over 'Superman' Backlash, Says "Anti-American Sentiment" Affected Film's Global Box Office
'Despite enjoying a successful box office run, Superman director James Gunn has admitted that he is still confused over the backlash the film has sparked, and added that an apparent 'anti-American sentiment' has affected the film's global performance. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly on the topic of the film's controversial 'Superwoke' branding by some far-right groups, Gunn admits that he doesn't understand what made the film so 'woke' to begin with. 'I've heard people say it was woke, and then I've heard a lot of people say it's not. I am curious as to what in the movie is considered woke,' he explained. 'I think people took something I said… I said, it's a story about an immigrant, but mostly it's a story to me about kindness, which it is. That's the centre of the movie for me.' 'That's the thing we can all act upon, is kindness,' he continued. 'I mean, people did value kindness in the past. That was an American value, was kindness, and it doesn't necessarily seem to be that way to me anymore. So that was always the centre of the movie for me, and it wasn't about anything other than that.' Despite the 'SuperWoke' backlash, the film is still holding strong in the domestic US box office, garnering US$235 million over two weekends since its release on 10 July. It's international earnings, on the other hand, fell slightly short at US$171 million over the same time period, although Gunn remains positive that the film will continue to perform well globally. 'We're definitely performing better domestically than we are internationally, but internationally is also rising and having really good weekday numbers in the same way we are.' the director said in a separate interview with Rolling Stone. 'So obviously the word of mouth is very positive both here and everywhere else. Which is the thing that we needed to do the most.' Gunn added that there is currently 'a certain amount of anti-American sentiment around the world', which has affected the film's performance outside of the US. 'So I think it's just a matter of letting something grow. But again, for us, everything's been a total win.' he explained. Still, the fact remains that millions worldwide are enjoying Gunn's Man of Steel reboot, and not just audiences, but ex-Superman stars too, with Brandon Routh, who took on the mantle in 2006's Superman Returns , recently sharing his praise of the new movie during an interview with Variety. Superman Returns (2006) According to the 45-year-old actor, the movie was 'a lot of fun', and it even made him cry 'no less than three times'. 'I see this in a different way. I come at it from a different perspective,' Routh added. 'I really got into it as I'm watching him navigate those tricky Superman moments in the first conversation with Lois and Clark in the apartment. And then all of the family stuff for me really hit. It's a big movie. There's a lot in there. I have to go see it again.' Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. DC Studios DC Universe James Gunn Superman
The Guardian
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Protesters play 'scheiß AfD' song during interview with far-right co-leader Alice Weidel
A German public broadcaster has said it is reviewing its procedures after a live interview with the leader of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland was interrupted by protesters. During the live television interview with ARD, Alice Weidel, co-leader of AfD, appeared at times to struggle to hear the questions being asked of her as protesters gathered below the provisional stage for the interview in Berlin. Amid whistling and shouting, the speakers of a bus used as part of the demonstration blared the anti-AfD song Scheiß AfD Jodler (Shit AfD Yodellers) by Corner Chor, an award-winning activist choir from Augsburg.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Anti-AfD protesters interrupt Alice Weidel interview live on German TV
A German public broadcaster has said it is reviewing its procedures after a live interview with the leader of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland was interrupted by protesters. During the television interview with ARD on Sunday, Alice Weidel, co-leader of the AfD, appeared at times to struggle to hear the questions being asked of her as protesters gathered below the provisional stage for the interview in Berlin. Amid whistling and shouting, the speakers of a bus used as part of the demonstration blared the anti-AfD song Scheiß AfD Jodler (Shit AfD Yodellers) by Corner Chor, an award-winning activist choir from Augsburg. The protesters also included the group Omas gegen Rechts (Grans against the Right) and the anti-fascist artists' collective Zentrum für Politische Schönheit (the Center for Political Beauty). Some parts of the interview were inaudible to people watching it on TV. The anti-immigrant party has insisted the interview should be rerun to give Weidel the chance to properly answer the questions in what was part of a series of interviews with politicians from all parties. On Monday ARD said it would learn lessons from the incident but refused to say whether it would redo the interview. 'An uninterrupted flow in interviews is in our interest and, above all, in the interest of the audience. Therefore, we will draw conclusions from the broadcast and take precautions in the future,' a spokesperson said. The broadcaster said it had not been notified that the protest would be taking place and that nothing had been registered with the police in advance. The Berlin police said no arrests had been made, but that it was considering launching proceedings against the demonstrators. The journalist carrying out the interview, Markus Preiß, said afterwards: 'I have to say: Alice Weidel was quite sporting, considering the volume.' He added: 'Everyone is allowed to demonstrate; that's a good democratic right. But demonstrations are usually registered. And this one wasn't.' While she tried to make light of it, calling the choir a 'tax-funded NGO' and insisting she was used to protests against her, Weidel appeared to grow increasingly frustrated as the interview went on. Posting a link on social media to the interview, which was shown on the flagship news programme Tagesschau, she wrote: 'This is how it looks, by the way, when the Tagesschau holds a summer interview with the AfD in [conservative] CDU-governed Berlin – while the NGO choir protests in the background.' Preiß said he and Weidel had briefly discussed whether they should keep going and had agreed to continue. ARD faced a barrage of criticism for its failure to move it to an enclosed studio. AfD members and supporters said the broadcaster was responsible for guaranteeing equal conditions for politicians of all parties during interviews. Some opponents of the AfD said the protests had had the effect of creating more publicity for the party, which became the largest opposition party in the German parliament after February's elections. The media lobby group Reporters Without Borders said internet companies should be taxed to create a fund to help public broadcasters deal with the pressures they are increasingly facing from far-right parties. The group's director general, Thibaut Bruttin, cited Donald Trump's decision to 'dismantle' the US's international broadcasting service, saying it echoed 'the offensive being waged by certain political forces against public radio and television broadcasters across Europe', naming Hungary, Italy and Slovakia.
