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Japan Times
an hour ago
- Japan Times
Foreign residents closely follow Japan's election and party pledges
As Japan's foreign population continues to rise both in terms of quantity and diversity, one of the talking points during Sunday's election was how the country should deal with the increase of international residents. While foreign nationals do not have the right to vote unless they naturalize, as residents they contribute to the economy, pay taxes and raise families in Japan. As electoral results could impact their lives, The Japan Times asked several foreign residents to weigh in. Interviews have been edited for brevity and clarity. Mark Williams (55) United States, resident of Japan since 2006 If I could vote myself, I'd want to see stronger enforcement of labor laws. I've been lucky, but I know people in other companies who are stuck in that culture where you can't leave until your boss does. That needs to change — for both Japanese people and foreigners alike. The cost of living is another big one. There are so many middlemen in the distribution process here that it drives up prices unnecessarily. Streamlining that could make a real difference. I have definitely noticed a shift in attitude (regarding foreigners), especially online. However, if I'm being honest, I've experienced far worse back home in the U.S. than I ever have here. There are people who've always held discriminatory views — now they just feel more free to voice them. It's not that there are more people who think this way, just more who are willing to say it out loud. When people say negative things about foreigners online, my wife or daughter will sometimes point it out to me. I might not have noticed otherwise, because I'm not glued to the TV or reading comments all the time. Day-to-day, I've only ever had positive experiences with people in Japan. My coworkers have always treated me well. I've never felt unwelcome in my workplace. I judge people based on how they treat me directly — not based on what's said online or in anonymous comments. Alexander Howell-Jackson (27) United Kingdom, resident of Japan for three years Anti-foreigner sentiment has definitely been rising. You can see it with parties like Sanseito. But it mirrors what's happening in the rest of the world. When the economy's stagnant and prices go up, people look for someone to blame and often that ends up being foreigners. Most Japanese people have never had a meaningful interaction with a foreigner. That leaves a vacuum for media narratives to shape their views. It's funny to see the 'foreigners are taking our jobs' narrative appear here too. Japan has a labor shortage and a shrinking population — there are so many unfilled jobs. There's no way to tell a tourist apart from a foreign resident, so we all get lumped together. Even if I've lived here for years, I get judged by what a tourist did last week. It's frustrating — when tourists don't know the rules, we all pay the price. It's not like we have 'foreign resident' stamped on our forehead with a visa type. That's not to say everyone is falling victim to this rhetoric. Online, the most racist people are the most vocal. Just because you see those kinds of comments doesn't mean everyone thinks like that. Simon Henderson (40) Australia, resident of Japan for three years I've been following the election very closely. It feels like a pivotal moment for Japan. There's a very real possibility of a political shift, which makes this election particularly significant. Foreign nationals contribute substantially to Japan's wellbeing, including through taxes. Yet we're still excluded from voting and often from political discourse entirely. Many of us have deep roots here. We work, we pay taxes, we raise families. But without the right to vote, we remain politically invisible. It's disappointing to see major parties, including the Liberal Democratic Party, echo xenophobic rhetoric rather than challenging it. Instead of framing foreign nationals as threats, Japan's political leaders should recognize the benefits of a more diverse society. Japan isn't alone in this shift. We're seeing nationalism rise worldwide — but that's no excuse for inaction here. Japan has internationalized a lot over the past decade, but its political institutions haven't kept pace with that change. If I could vote, I'd want to back candidates that understand Japan's future depends on inclusion — not fear. Climate change is also a top concern for me. I'd also support parties pushing for human rights reforms and more generous refugee policies. Additionally, it's contradictory that 18-year-olds can vote but can't run for the Upper House until they're 30 (unlike Australia, where the minimum age to run for office is 18). That sends a clear message: young people don't belong in politics. If Japan wants to improve voter turnout and engagement, especially among youth, it needs to reform its outdated candidacy laws. Maximo Arozarena (39) Mexico, resident of Japan for seven years On the surface, (the rhetoric regarding foreign nationals) doesn't always sound that bad — but for people who understand the context, it's a little bit worrying. I'm not super alarmed personally, because I've seen this kind of thing everywhere — in the U.S., even back in Mexico. But that doesn't mean it's harmless. It's part of a global trend that worries me. I think the election last October, where the LDP took a big hit, felt more significant. But this one matters too, especially because of Sanseito gaining ground and how that will shift the tone going forward. There's a lot of stress around the economy — the yen being weak, interest rates, even the ripple effects from tariffs and the U.S. elections. It's all adding to this general anxiety, and you can feel that in the conversations people are having. If I could vote, I'd back (a candidate advocating for) more progressive social policies — equal rights, gay marriage — but also economic strategies that go beyond short-term fixes. I know it's idealistic, but that's what I'd hope for. For example, tourism is critical for Japan's economy now, but the way it's handled isn't sustainable. Locals are frustrated with overtourism, and as someone working in the industry, I feel that frustration too. We need better planning — something that supports the economy without overwhelming communities. Right now, it just feels like we're improvising. One good thing I've seen in recent elections is that Japanese people seem more and more politically engaged. Hopefully, that leads to something positive, and not just empty rhetoric.
Japan Times
6 hours ago
- Japan Times
‘Japanese First' Sanseito emerges as third-largest Upper House opposition party
The small right-wing populist party Sanseito, which campaigned under the slogan of 'Japanese First,' won big in Sunday's Upper House election, taking a projected 14 seats — the third-most among opposition forces in the poll. The stunning results put the upstart party just behind the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and Nippon Ishin no Kai among opposition parties in its total number of Upper House seats. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito coalition was dealt a drubbing in the poll, losing its majority — meaning it will need the support of at least one opposition party to pass any piece of legislation. But Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya said that while his party may cooperate with the ruling coalition on a policy basis, he had ruled out joining any government, at least until the party wins more seats in the next Lower House election. 'If Sanseito wins 50 or 60 seats in the next Lower House election, I think it may be possible to form a coalition government with small parties, like European (governments), in the future. (Sanseito) will aim to be a part of that,' Kamiya told a news conference Sunday night. Although Sanseito was unable to achieve its goal of winning 20 seats — the minimum required to submit budget bills in the Upper House — it now has enough to submit nonspending bills, which require just 10. The party won seven seats in electoral districts –– including in highly contested battlegrounds in Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa, Ibaraki, Aichi and Fukuoka prefectures, as well as in Osaka, Nippon Ishin's home turf. It also won seven proportional representation slots. In Tokyo, where seven seats were contested, Sanseito was the second-most popular party after the LDP, with candidate Saya, who goes by one name, winning 668,568 votes and LDP candidate Daichi Suzuki garnering 772,272. About 1,400 voters attend Sanseito's public rally on Saturday morning near Omiya Station in the city of Saitama, according to party officials. | Himari Semans As ballots were being tallied Sunday night, Kamiya and other successful candidates spoke to the media, devoting much of their airtime to defending the party's controversial 'Japanese First' rhetoric. Repeatedly denying that the slogan is xenophobic, Kamiya claimed it 'is about standing up against globalism and protecting the lives of Japanese citizens.' 'The notion that people who want to discriminate and kick foreigners out (of Japan) are flocking to Sanseito is, I think, a little wrong. We aren't that kind of party,' said Kamiya, who did not run in Sunday's election as his Upper House term ends in 2028. Nevertheless, winning candidates said they owed their strong showing to the party's 'Japanese First' rhetoric, which they said had resonated with voters. Mizuho Umemura, who won a proportional representation seat, said that the approach matched the views of voters who are not content with the government's immigration policy amid concerns over rising foreign landownership and overtourism. Sanseito has vowed to limit the number of foreign nationals in Japan — including specified skilled workers and tourists — and cap the proportion of foreign residents at 5% of Japanese citizens in each municipality. It has also pledged to make it more difficult for foreign nationals to be naturalized as citizens or obtain permanent residence, while banning naturalized citizens from running for public office. Days before the Upper House election, Sanseito's support rating hit a record high of 4.7% — up 2.2 percentage points from the previous month — making it the third most popular party after the LDP and CDP, according to a Jiji Press poll released Thursday. The rise in support for Sanseito was evident by the growing crowds at its public rallies as Election Day neared. On Saturday morning, about 1,400 people attended a Sanseito rally in Saitama, while around 20,000 turned out for its final rally that evening in Tokyo, according to party officials. It was not possible to independently confirm those figures. While most rally attendees supported Sanseito, they were also joined by a small group of protesters that had also attended nearly every party event, holding signs critical of its policies that read 'There is no first or second to humankind' and 'Japanese First is discrimination.'
Japan Times
6 hours ago
- Japan Times
‘Japanese First' Sanseito emerges as powerful force after Upper House poll
The small right-wing populist party Sanseito, which campaigned under the slogan of 'Japanese First,' won big in Sunday's Upper House election, taking a projected 14 seats — the third-most among opposition forces in the poll. The stunning results put the upstart party just behind the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and Nippon Ishin no Kai among opposition parties in its total number of Upper House seats. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito coalition was dealt a drubbing in the poll, losing its majority — meaning it will need the support of at least one opposition party to pass any piece of legislation.
