This summer, after a poor showing in Upper House elections, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner found themselves having to govern without a majority in either chamber of the parliament. Adding to the shock was the surge in votes for Sanseito, a far-right populist party that grew out of a YouTube channel started during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sanseito’s slogan is "Japanese First,” and it campaigned on a mix of tax cutting, protections for farmers, vaccine skepticism and restrictions on immigration and foreign investment.
The establishment conservative LDP still holds by far the most seats in the parliament, and the upper chamber is less powerful than the lower house. Still, the LDP’s electoral woes led to the resignation of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. On Oct. 4, the LDP is to set to anoint a new leader who will have to wrangle support from smaller political parties while trying to win back disaffected voters on the political right.
Sanseito has warned of a "silent invasion” of foreigners. During one campaign rally, party leader Sohei Kamiya used a derogatory term for ethnic Koreans before immediately apologizing. A book published by the party in 2022 spoke of COVID fears being stoked by "international Jewish financial capital.” The party says the book has been revised because of misleading wording, and it denies holding antisemitic views, as did Kamiya during a press conference this summer.
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