Latest news with #non-Japanese
Nikkei Asia
5 days ago
- Politics
- Nikkei Asia
Foreign residents in Japan fret over immigration backlash
The leader of Sanseito, Sohei Kamiya, speaks at a rally in Tokyo on July 21, one day after the Japanese political party won 14 seats in the upper house parliamentary election. © Reuters Nikkei staff writers TOKYO -- The rapid ascent of the right-wing Sanseito party in Japan has shone a spotlight on public attitudes to immigration, unnerving some non-Japanese residents. Sanseito, founded in 2020, won 14 seats in Sunday's upper house election on its "Japanese First" platform advocating stricter rules on immigration and foreign capital, along with proposing tax cuts and welfare spending. The party had held only one seat in the 248-member chamber of parliament prior to the vote.
Nikkei Asia
5 days ago
- Politics
- Nikkei Asia
Video: Japan's foreign community reacts to Sanseito's rise
TOKYO -- Japan's recent upper house election saw the meteoric rise of Sanseito, a right-wing, populist party with the slogan "Japanese First" that calls for tougher regulations on foreigners. Sanseito's emergence has caught Japan's community of foreign residents by surprise, with the party's anti-foreigner rhetoric causing concern among many Japanese and non-Japanese alike. In this video, we talk to our non-Japanese colleagues at Nikkei Asia to get their views on what the rise of Sanseito means, and gauge the opinions of the online community.
Asahi Shimbun
5 days ago
- Asahi Shimbun
75 women arrested for prostitution at Kabukicho park
Seventy-five women were arrested for street prostitution near Okubo Park in Kabukicho district in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward during the first half of this year, more than double from the same period in 2024, police announced on July 24. Regarding motivation, more than 40 percent of the women cited debts related to host clubs and similar expenses. According to police, the average age of the arrested women was 25, with nine of them being teenagers—a sharp increase from just one last year. Nearly 80 percent were current or former workers in the sex industry, and six were university students. Some women reported engaging in prostitution due to financial hardships, prompting authorities to coordinate support efforts with welfare organizations. Authorities have also noted a troubling rise in women seeking out tourists visiting Japan. Four women in their 20s were arrested on suspicion of soliciting sex from non-Japanese men near the park on July 22. The women admitted to the charges, saying they felt safer focusing on foreigners because they were unlikely to be undercover police officers. They also explained that they had turned to prostitution to repay debts from host clubs and claimed working independently was a quicker way to earn money than working in sex parlors. The four suspects allegedly waited for potential clients—mostly Taiwanese men—between May 14 and June 19 in the neighborhood within the well-known nightlife district. Police have received around 50 reports likely connected to the group since last October, possibly involving disputes with customers. Investigations revealed the women used online group chats to share photos of undercover police officers and other information to avoid arrest. Transaction rates ranged from 20,000 yen ($135) to 30,000 yen, with one woman reportedly serving an average of five clients per day and earning more than 110 million yen over two years. Authorities have expressed alarm over the rise in tourists visiting the park for these services and are considering issuing warnings at immigration checkpoints.
Gulf Today
7 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Why a far-right party in Japan made big gains
Japan's far-right populist Sanseito party was one of the biggest winners in the weekend's upper house election, attracting many voters with its "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 on 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. 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 holds 15 seats in the upper house, compared with 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. 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 US 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. Their advance is also part of a new move led by younger people connecting on social media with hopes of changing Japan's political landscape, Izuru Makihara, a politics professor at the University of Tokyo, toldJap a NHK television talk show. Sanseito is still inexperienced and its future success depends on whether its elected members can achieve policies, he said. 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 is supportive of Trump's move to repeal decarbonization and diversity, equity and inclusion policies. 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. Associated Press
Nahar Net
7 days ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
How a far-right 'Japanese First' party made big election gains
by Naharnet Newsdesk 23 July 2025, 13:44 Japan's far-right populist Sanseito party was one of the biggest winners in the weekend's upper house election, attracting many voters with its "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 holds 15 seats in the upper house, compared with 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' 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. Their advance is also part of a new move led by younger people connecting on social media with hopes of changing Japan's political landscape, Izuru Makihara, a politics professor at the University of Tokyo, told a NHK television talk show. Sanseito is still inexperienced and its future success depends on whether its elected members can achieve policies, he said. 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 is supportive of Trump's 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.
