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Upper House Election: Sanseito Expands National Presence with Wins in Tokyo, Aichi, Fukuoka; Strategy of Fielding Candidates in Every Constituency Race Pays Off

Upper House Election: Sanseito Expands National Presence with Wins in Tokyo, Aichi, Fukuoka; Strategy of Fielding Candidates in Every Constituency Race Pays Off

Yomiuri Shimbun3 days ago
Sanseito has secured seats in constituencies such as Tokyo, Aichi and Fukuoka while widening its support in the proportional representation vote. This represents dramatic growth, as it previously had only a single seat.
During this election, the party fielded candidates in every constituency race, and it placed 10 names on the proportional ballot. Altogether it ran 55 candidates, the second largest slate after the Liberal Democratic Party, and this scale became the driving force behind its gains.
'The public now knows who we are,' said party leader Sohei Kamiya on an NHK program Sunday night. 'In the next House of Representatives election we want to win 50 to 60 seats and secure a position in a coalition cabinet.'
Campaign messaging revolved around a 'Japanese First' theme, emphasizing opposition to what Sanseito calls excessive acceptance of foreign nationals and proposing stricter screening of land purchases by foreigners. As its top policy priorities, the party also advocated tax cuts and an aggressive fiscal stance.
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15 U.S. Tariffs on Japan: Make Agreement a Starting Point for New Economic Development / Quickly Stabilize Administration after PM Resigns
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Yomiuri Shimbun

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15 U.S. Tariffs on Japan: Make Agreement a Starting Point for New Economic Development / Quickly Stabilize Administration after PM Resigns

Negotiations over the high tariff policy, which had been the biggest issue between Japan and the United States, have been settled. The agreement can be praised for having eliminated uncertainty about the future, and the content is acceptable to Japan. It is hoped that Japan will take this agreement as an opportunity to strengthen the cooperative relationship between the two countries, and to use it together as a starting point for new growth for the Japanese economy. This may be a major achievement for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who will likely be stepping down soon. Under the new power balance in the Diet, the ruling and opposition parties will have a heavy responsibility to devise economic policies aimed at bringing the economy out of its prolonged stagnation. Huge blow averted U.S. President Donald Trump announced through social media that an agreement has been reached on tariff negotiations with Japan. The rate of 'reciprocal tariffs' on Japan will be lowered from 25% to 15%. Also, additional tariffs on imported automobiles, which Japan had been demanding that Washington reduce as the highest priority, will be halved from 25% to 12.5%. Combined with the preexisting 2.5% tariff rate, the total tariff rate will be 15%. Japan's annual exports to the United States amount to about ¥21 trillion, making the United States the largest export destination for Japan. The figure accounts for about 20% of Japan's total exports. A high tariff of 25% would have dealt a heavy blow. Considering the technological prowess and competitiveness of Japanese companies, it can be said that the 15% rate was finally set at a level to which Japan will be able to adapt. The fact that Japan won a concession to lower tariffs on automobiles from the current 25% is also significant. This is because Trump has been advocating the return of manufacturing industries to the United States and the creation of jobs, showing a particularly strong attachment to tariffs on automobiles, which are a leading U.S. manufacturing industry. Automobiles are a key industry for Japan. Including related companies, the industry supports about 5.5 million jobs and is the backbone of the Japanese economy. Japan exports about 1.4 million units a year to the United States, accounting for about 30% of Japan's U.S.-bound exports in terms of value. The industry also leads the way in raising wages and has a significant influence on the Japanese economy. The tariff rate on automobiles may be a result of the Japanese government having persistently continued talks toward a comprehensive agreement as a nonnegotiable matter. This may also serve as a model for other countries in their negotiations. 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Ishiba is likely set to step down following the conclusion of the Japan-U.S. talks. The ruling parties suffered a crushing defeat in the upper house election following last year's House of Representatives election. Despite this, Ishiba initially announced his intention to stay in office, probably because he wanted to decide whether to step down after discerning the success or failure of the Japan-U.S. tariff talks. With the ruling parties being a minority in both houses of the Diet, political chaos will likely continue. The hope is that the next president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party will urge the opposition parties to broaden the framework for a coalition government and work to quickly stabilize the political situation. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 24, 2025)

US automakers say Trump's 15% tariff deal with Japan puts them at a disadvantage
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WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. automakers worry that President Donald Trump's agreement to tariff Japanese vehicles at 15% would put them at a competitive disadvantage, saying they will face steeper import taxes on steel, aluminum and parts than their competitors. "We need to review all the details of the agreement, but this is a deal that will charge lower tariffs on Japanese autos with no U.S. content," said Matt Blunt, president of the American Automotive Policy Council, which represents the Big 3 American automakers, General Motors, Ford and Jeep-maker Stellantis. Blunt said in an interview the U.S. companies and workers "definitely are at a disadvantage" because they face a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum and a 25% tariff on parts and finished vehicles, with some exceptions for products covered under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that went into effect in 2020. 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Governors slam xenophobia, call for open society where all equal
Governors slam xenophobia, call for open society where all equal

Asahi Shimbun

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Governors slam xenophobia, call for open society where all equal

AOMORI--Alarmed at xenophobic sentiment expressed in the lead-up to the July 20 Upper House election, the nation's governors called for measures to nurture multicultural coexistence. The National Governors' Association met in Aomori on July 23 to discuss the challenges stemming from the rapid increase in foreign resident numbers. Discriminatory rhetoric was a hallmark of the election campaign fueled by upstart political party Sanseito which railed against foreigners under its 'Japanese First' policy. Its warnings about foreigners and crime were credited with helping the party to significantly increase its seat showing in the chamber. The National Governors' Association meeting wound up emphasizing that Tokyo and the other 46 prefectural governments view foreigners as residents and community members, unlike the central government, which regards them primarily as a labor force. The association called on the central government to accept foreigners in a wider variety of jobs under the Employment for Skill Development program, which will replace the problem-fraught Technical Intern Training Program. It also sought central government funding so prefectural governments can offer Japanese language education. The governors said basic laws were needed to form the foundation for a multicultural society. Shizuoka Governor Yasutomo Suzuki, who spearheaded the drafting of the proposal, noted that responsibility for accommodating the daily lives of foreign residents has so far been left to local governments. 'We call on the central government to take responsibility and implement policies,' he added. Nara Governor Makoto Yamashita referred to 'baseless criticisms targeting foreign residents that are spreading online,' which he said smacked of discrimination and xenophobia. 'Japanese people, mainly young generations, have a vague anxiety, so we need to implement policies that eliminate it,' he said. 'Otherwise, it will lead to huge political and social problems.' Aomori Governor Soichiro Miyashita said the association 'is united in its stance of rejecting xenophobia.' He added that the association would cite its opposition to xenophobia in its statement to be released on July 24, the final day of the meeting.

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