NHK Party head Tachibana targets Black and Muslim groups in Japan as 'scary'
Tachibana, who is running in the July 20 upper house race for the Hyogo electoral district, began his speech by saying, "Six years ago, I was afraid of fee collectors for (public broadcaster) NHK. But recently, I am afraid of foreigners." He prefaced his statements with, "You might not feel as much fear with white people," and, "This may be considered discrimination."
He continued, "If the government doesn't provide welfare to foreigners, they'll come attacking it without a doubt," and discussed his views on "the deterioration of public safety" as a backdrop to the emergence of "Japanese-first" public opinion.
He concluded by saying, "I never used to have such an exclusionary feeling, but it has changed into a strong sentiment."
(Mainichi)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nikkei Asia
an hour ago
- Nikkei Asia
Japan tariff negotiator holds 'in-depth' talks with Lutnick, Tokyo says
Japanese tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa held phone calls with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on July 3 and July 5. © Reuters TOKYO (Reuters) -- Japan's tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa held "in-depth exchanges" over the phone with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday and Saturday, the Japanese government said. A pause on a 24% reciprocal tariff on imports from Japan expires next week. The Japanese government also said in a statement that it intends to continue actively coordinating with the U.S. side on the matter.
The Mainichi
3 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Japan right-wing leader's remarks on foreigners may be hate speech
FUKUOKA (Kyodo) -- Naoki Hyakuta, leader of the minor right-wing opposition Conservative Party of Japan, made remarks on Saturday that could be construed as hate speech, criticizing foreign workers during a national election campaign. Foreign workers "disrespect Japanese culture, ignore the rules, assault Japanese people, and steal their belongings," Hyakuta, a former novelist, said in a stump speech ahead of the July 20 House of Councillors election. He emphasized his opposition to the burial customs practiced by some foreigners, saying that cremation is the norm in Japan. "If you come to Japan, it's only natural to follow Japanese rules and manners. When in Rome, do as the Romans do," he said. Established in 2023, his party won three seats in last year's House of Representatives election. Led by Hyakuta, a former TV commentator, it advocates stricter immigration and refugee policies to protect the Japanese people. Amid ongoing labor shortages, the number of foreign workers in Japan has steadily grown in recent years, surpassing 2 million in 2024. Some political leaders have responded with inflammatory rhetoric that could fuel xenophobia or discrimination. During the upper house election campaign, another minor opposition group, the Sanseito party, has gained traction among conservatives with nationalist and anti-establishment views under its "Japanese First" banner. The party, launched in 2020, has three seats in the lower house, with its leader, Sohei Kamiya, claiming that globalization is the "reason behind Japan's poverty," as foreign capital is buying up land and company stocks. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said in a speech on Saturday, "Problems cannot be solved by hatred or slander. We must be considerate of other people's feelings," in reference to foreigners living in Japan.
The Mainichi
4 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Taiwan invited to Nagasaki atomic bomb anniversary event for 1st time
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Nagasaki has accepted a request from Taiwan to attend this year's ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing, the southwestern Japanese city said Saturday. If Taiwan attends, it will be the first time its representatives officially take part in the annual event held each August. Following last year's controversy over its decision not to invite Israel amid its war in the Gaza Strip, Nagasaki has decided this year to invite all countries and regions with diplomatic missions in Japan or representative offices at the United Nations. However, as Taiwan does "not fall into either category," the self-ruled island in May expressed disappointment that it would be excluded. In early June, Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said he is considering how to facilitate Taiwan's desire to attend the Aug. 9 ceremony. It was the first time that Taiwan, which has never been officially invited to the memorial event, has expressed a wish to attend, according to the Japanese city. Taiwan has no official diplomatic ties with Japan. Suzuki said Saturday he has told Taiwan that the "attendance is accepted." He did not disclose when the response was conveyed, nor how Taipei responded. Hiroshima, the Japanese city atomic bombed three days before Nagasaki, has this year switched from sending invitations to notifying all countries and regions that they are welcome to attend the Aug. 6 memorial ceremony. Taiwan was added to the notification list after the island expressed its intention to take part in the Hiroshima ceremony. The U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are estimated to have killed 214,000 people by the end of the year. They left scores of survivors grappling with long-term physical and mental health challenges. Japan surrendered six days after the Nagasaki bombing, bringing an end to World War II.
