Latest news with #NationalDiet
The Diplomat
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Diplomat
The Rising Force of Japan's Ultra-Nationalist, Anti-Immigration Sanseito Party
What began as a fringe movement is now gaining traction, driven by voter dissatisfaction with mainstream political parties and a strong online following. 'Japan First' is the signature slogan of the controversial Sanseito party, which is becoming a serious choice for voters ahead of this month's upper house election. The party, which launched on YouTube in 2020 as a fringe political movement promoting a conservative stance on economic security and immigration, is gaining momentum among social media savvy men in the 30s to 50s age bracket. The self-described 'party for citizens' now polls ahead of many established opposition parties in the run-up to the upper house election on July 20. Its core policies call for the preservation of traditional culture, the revival of the 'true Japanese spirit,' anti-globalization and agricultural self-sufficiency. This includes opposition to vaccines, LGBT rights, immigration and nuclear power. Currently, it boasts five lawmakers in the National Diet, mostly through lawmakers and independents who have changed their affiliation and joined Sanseito after the 2022 upper house election. For the 2025 election, the party is fielding candidates nationwide, galvanizing support with anti-establishment slogans. The party presents itself as an alternative to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-Komeito coalition. Sanseito aims to secure six seats in the upcoming election. As campaigning intensifies, the party has sought to clarify its position on foreigners and immigration amid criticism it is normalizing xenophobia in Japan. Kamiya Sohei, who now leads the party, addressed foreign reporters at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan on Thursday, July 3. At the press conference, Kamiya reiterated the party's hardline stance on immigration but framed the issue as a matter of national protection rather than cultural exchange. He said Japan needs tougher policing and regulation if it continues to accept more foreigners, citing concerns that foreigners have a tendency to exploit legal loopholes and commit crimes. In particular, he voiced concern about migrants who leave their assigned workplaces due to poor conditions and then turn to pickpocketing, petty theft, or organized crime to survive. 'We are not in any way intending to exclude foreign workers who are here legally, who are working legally side by side with the Japanese, with jobs,' he clarified. On the issue of falling birthrates, Kamiya described demographic shifts as a manageable trend, rather than a national crisis. He shared Sanseito's vision of Japan as a trailblazer in human-centered technological innovation to offset its dependence on foreign labor. The party advocates for robotics, automation and AI in sectors like elder care, healthcare, and agriculture — areas hit hardest by workforce shortages. Kamiya stressed that the party opposes accepting migrants in order to substitute the projected fall in the Japanese workforce. He said the aim was to prevent cases where workers are recruited under false pretenses by brokers and end up in low-paid, exploitative jobs abroad. Sanseito has placed agriculture at the heart of its politics. It's framed not only as a food issue but as a matter of national resilience and cultural identity. The party has proposed a 10 trillion yen investment over the next decade to double Japan's food self-sufficiency rate. At 38 percent, Japan's food self-sufficiency rate ranks among the lowest in the OECD. Sanseito aims to establish year-long emergency food reserves in every municipality by 2030. It argues that true sovereignty requires the ability to feed the population without dependence on foreign imports. Sanseito also seeks to reclassify farmers as public-sector workers, expand organic farming, and integrate traditional cuisine into school lunch programs. The effort is part policy and part narrative, positioning farming not just as economic activity but as moral duty and the essence of what it means to be Japanese. The U.S. has made increased access to Japan's rice market a condition for any trade agreement. It's an ultimatum Tokyo continues to resist, insisting that rice remains off the negotiating table. Kamiya warned that importing American rice would devastate Japan's domestic rice farmers. 'We do not believe U.S. rice should be imported into Japan,' he said, citing fears of collapse in the country's rice-farming sector. He also criticized past trade concessions Japan had made, particularly in agriculture, to protect the auto industry, saying the time for these types of trade-offs had passed. 'Japanese agriculture is already at its limit,' Kamiya said. In response to U.S. tariff threats, he called for a recalibration of the bilateral trade relationship, pointing out that Japanese consumers spend trillions of yen annually on American digital and IT products. Instead of yielding to U.S. pressure, he argued, Japan should offset automotive export losses by relaxing decarbonization rules and cutting domestic auto taxes to bolster internal demand. Sanseito's rhetoric offers a glimpse into the tensions shaping the country's political future. The degree to which Sanseito's message translates from online support to votes on July 20 will determine whether it remains a digital phenomenon or becomes a durable force in Japanese politics.
Miami Herald
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
US Ally Secures Military Access to Contested South China Sea
Japan's ratification of an agreement allowing reciprocal military visits with the Philippines puts the U.S. allies on a course for greater security cooperation amid regional tensions with China. Newsweek reached out to the Japanese and Chinese Foreign Ministries via email for comment. China's rapid military buildup and overlapping territorial claims have driven Beijing's neighbors to deepen security ties with Washington, as well as with each other, through "mini-laterals" arrangements such as the "Squad" (comprising the U.S., Australia, Japan, and the Philippines), and bilateral frameworks. Japan's National Diet voted Friday to approve a reciprocal access agreement with the Philippines. Manila's legislature ratified the deal six months earlier. The arrangement is expected to enhance interoperability, facilitate military drills, and support joint operations, including disaster relief, according to the agreement. Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner, chief of staff of the Philippine armed forces, in a statement, hailed the pact as a "significant step in advancing bilateral defense cooperation and regional stability." The Philippines is the third country to sign this kind of agreement with Japan, following Australia and the United Kingdom. Japan previously selected the Philippines as the first beneficiary of its Official Security Assistance program for like-minded partners. China has frequently criticized defense cooperation between the Philippines and "outside forces," maintaining that the South China Sea dispute is a bilateral issue. The Philippines is embroiled in a long-standing territorial dispute with China, which has expanded its maritime presence within the maritime zone of its U.S. defense treaty ally. China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea-through which an estimated $3 trillion in trade passes annually-despite a Hague-based arbitral tribunal's 2016 decision that dismissed these claims. A separate dispute also simmers over a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, known in Japan as the Senkakus and in China as the Diaoyu Islands. Both Japanese and Philippine officials-like their American counterparts-have voiced concern over China's growing military activity around Taiwan, the self-ruled democracy that Beijing has vowed to unify with, by force if necessary. Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said in February: "Japan seeks to bypass the constraints of its postwar pacifist constitution through defense cooperation with the Philippines." The Japan-Philippines Armed Forces Facilitation Agreement says: "As the security environment in the region becomes increasingly severe, the signing of an important agreement in the field of security with the Philippines, a strategic partner located at a strategic location on sea lanes and sharing fundamental values and principles with Japan, will further promote security and defense cooperation between the two countries and firmly support peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region." Earlier this year, the two countries announced plans for regular meetings to address Philippine defense equipment needs, as well as early efforts to establish an intelligence-sharing framework. Related Articles Map Shows Where Hegseth Wants US Military on China's DoorstepUS Ally Keeps American Missiles at Choke Point Near ChinaVideo Shows Chinese 'Militia' Ship Near US Ally's Disputed TerritoryFootage Shows Chinese Ships Near US Ally's Disputed Island Base 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
The Print
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
‘Pakistan completely exposed': Sanjay Jha on meeting with Japanese lawmakers after Op Sindoor
While speaking with ANI, Jha said, 'We met many of the Japanese parliamentarians (members of the National Diet of Japan) today and everyone is supporting us in the fight against terrorism… We have shown them the photographs of how Pakistani generals attended the funerals of the terrorists.' During discussions with members of Japan's National Diet, Jha said that the delegation presented evidence, including photographs of Pakistani generals attending funerals of known terrorists. Tokyo: JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, who is leading a multi-party delegation to Japan and other East Asian countries as part of India's global outreach against terrorism, said on Friday that the delegation received strong support from Japanese lawmakers in the fight against terrorism. He added, 'Pakistan is completely exposed now, its 'victim card' is exposed now, the people worldwide understand Pakistan's state-sponsored terrorism. We have told them about the statement of the Pakistani Army chief, people here were not much aware of his 'pravachan' (preachings) on the two-nation theory.' Meanwhile, sharing a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Japan said, 'All-Party Delegation from India interacted with the Japan-India Parliamentary Friendship League led by Chairman H.E. Mr. Yasutoshi Nishimura. India's resolute stance of zero tolerance towards terrorism was conveyed. Members of the league expressed support for India's resolve to counter cross border terrorism.' Earlier in the day, Sanjay Kumar Jha stated that India would make no distinction between terrorists and country which promoted them. Speaking at an outreach event in Tokyo, Jha said, 'India, along with countries like Japan, have zero tolerance for terrorism. To implement this, India will not make any distinction hereafter between terrorists and the country that promotes them. We will not accept any nuclear blackmail. Any further terrorist incident will be met by India with resolute and decisive military action.' He stated that the delegation had come together to convey the message that the fight against terrorism was not just or India, but for the entire world. He further stated that Japan was a special and strategic partner of India and both countries were bound by values of democracy and press freedom. 'The entire delegation has come together on one issue to convey our message to the world that the fight against terrorism is not only for India, it is for the entire world…I wish to affirm that Japan is a special and strategic partner of India, and both countries are bound by similar values such as democracy and press freedom. We had an extremely fruitful meeting with the Foreign Minister and former Prime Minister yesterday. Now we have just met the speaker of the Japanese Parliament. All of them have condemned the terrorist incident that took place in April in Jammu and Kashmir and have expressed solidarity with India. India is extremely grateful to Japan for this,' Jha said. Jha and other delegates held a meeting with Japan's Former Defence Minister Minoru Kihara and Shinako Tsuchiya, Director General of the International Bureau, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). During the meeting, Members of Parliament reiterated India's strong resolve to fight every form of terrorism. (ANI) This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Also Read: Sanjay Jha-led all-party delegation arrives in Tokyo to highlight India's fight against terrorism
India Gazette
23-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Pakistan's victim card is exposed now": JD (U) MP Sanjay Jha in Japan
Tokyo [Japan], May 23 (ANI): JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, who is leading a multi-party delegation to Japan and other East Asian countries as part of India's global outreach against terrorism, said on Friday that the delegation received strong support from Japanese lawmakers in the fight against terrorism. During discussions with members of Japan's National Diet, Jha said that the delegation presented evidence, including photographs of Pakistani generals attending funerals of known terrorists. While speaking with ANI, Jha said, 'We met many of the Japanese parliamentarians (members of the National Diet of Japan) today and everyone is supporting us in the fight against terrorism... We have shown them the photographs of how Pakistani generals attended the funerals of the terrorists.' He added, 'Pakistan is completely exposed now, its 'victim card' is exposed now, the people worldwide understand Pakistan's state-sponsored terrorism. We have told them about the statement of the Pakistani Army chief, people here were not much aware of his 'pravachan' (preachings) on the two-nation theory.' Meanwhile, sharing a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Japan said, 'All-Party Delegation from India interacted with the Japan-India Parliamentary Friendship League led by Chairman H.E. Mr. Yasutoshi Nishimura. India's resolute stance of zero tolerance towards terrorism was conveyed. Members of the league expressed support for India's resolve to counter cross border terrorism.' Earlier in the day, Sanjay Kumar Jha stated that India would make no distinction between terrorists and country which promoted them. Speaking at an outreach event in Tokyo, Jha said, 'India, along with countries like Japan, have zero tolerance for terrorism. To implement this, India will not make any distinction hereafter between terrorists and the country that promotes them. We will not accept any nuclear blackmail. Any further terrorist incident will be met by India with resolute and decisive military action.' He stated that the delegation had come together to convey the message that the fight against terrorism was not just or India, but for the entire world. He further stated that Japan was a special and strategic partner of India and both countries were bound by values of democracy and press freedom. 'The entire delegation has come together on one issue to convey our message to the world that the fight against terrorism is not only for India, it is for the entire world...I wish to affirm that Japan is a special and strategic partner of India, and both countries are bound by similar values such as democracy and press freedom. We had an extremely fruitful meeting with the Foreign Minister and former Prime Minister yesterday. Now we have just met the speaker of the Japanese Parliament. All of them have condemned the terrorist incident that took place in April in Jammu and Kashmir and have expressed solidarity with India. India is extremely grateful to Japan for this,' Jha said. Jha and other delegates held a meeting with Japan's Former Defence Minister Minoru Kihara and Shinako Tsuchiya, Director General of the International Bureau, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). During the meeting, Members of Parliament reiterated India's strong resolve to fight every form of terrorism. (ANI)
Tokyo Weekender
23-05-2025
- Business
- Tokyo Weekender
Number of Foreign Visitors to Japan Hits Yet Another Record High
In this week's news roundup, foreign visitors continue to flock to Japan in record numbers. W e also report on a third-generation Korean woman living in Japan who is suing a Tokyo hotel operator, claiming she was unfairly refused accommodation. Shinjiro Koizumi takes over from Taku Eto as agriculture minister. The National Diet enacts a revised law aimed at curbing predatory behavior at male host clubs. The remains of a Connecticut mother are found in Japan two years after she went missing. And Yuki Tsunoda survives a terrifying crash before finishing 10th at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Italy. List of Contents: Number of Foreign Visitors to Japan Hits Record High in April Korean Resident in Japan Sues Hotel Operator, Claiming She Was 'Unfairly Refused Accommodation' Shinjiro Koizumi Named New Agriculture Minister After Taku Eto's 'Rice' Gaffe Japan Takes Aim at Predatory Practices in Host Clubs Remains of Connecticut Mother Found in Japan Two Years After She Went Missing Yuki Tsunoda Related Posts Number of Foreign Visitors to Japan Hits Record High in April Foreign visitors continue to flock to Japan in record numbers. According to data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on Wednesday, the country received some 14.45 million foreign arrivals in the first four months of 2025, compared to 11.60 million for the same period last year. April saw a single-month record of 3.91 million inbound tourists, a 25.8% rise from 12 months earli er. It's also the first time the figure has topped the 3.9 mill ion mark . The prev ious high was in January, when 3.78 million foreign visitors arrived in Japan. 'Spring cherry blossom season boosted demand for visits to Japan in many markets, as in the previous month, and overseas travel demand increased in some Asian countries, in Europe, the US and Australia to coincide with the Easter holidays,' said the JNTO. Most visitors in April came from China (765,100), ahead of South Korea (721,600) and Taiwan (537,600). Inbound tourists from Canada (72,600) and Great Britain (69,500) hit record monthly highs. Speaking at Wednesday's press conference, Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Naoya Haraikawa said the number of foreign visitors this year may exceed 45 million. Korean Resident in Japan Sues Hotel Operator, Claiming She Was 'Unfairly Refused Accommodation' On Thursday, a third-generation Korean woman who lives in Japan filed a lawsuit in the Kobe District Court against a hotel management company in Tokyo's Shinjuku ward for ¥2.2 million in damages. The woman, who's in her 40s and works as a university professor in Kobe, claims she was unfairly refused accommodation. She alleges that the hotel denied her a room after she declined to present a passport or residence card at check-in. As a resident of this country, she wasn't legally obliged to show either. Only foreigners living outside Japan are required to present their passports. According to the complaint, the woman showed her health insurance card as proof of address. However, she was told that no exceptions were made for foreigners. A staff member then allegedly suggested that she could stay if she wrote her Japanese name. The woman, who lives under her real name, refused as she believed it violated her dignity. She was subsequently told to leave. The incident, which occurred last year, left her feeling emotionally distressed. 'I decided to take legal action because I don't want others to have to go through the same unpleasant experience I did,' she said . Shinjiro Koizumi Named New Agriculture Minister After Taku Eto Resigns Due to Rice Gaffe On Wednesday, Taku Eto became the first minister to resign from Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet. His position became untenable after he said that he 'had never had to buy rice' as he got it free from supporters. Speaking at a political fundraising party on Sunday, he added that he received so much of it, he had enough to sell. The comments angered consumers who are having to deal with skyrocketing prices for the country's staple grain. Eto later apologized, stating that he exaggerated the point. The damage, however, had already been done. 'Eto decided to resign because if the confusion over his remark had continued, it would affect the implementation of agricultural policies. I approved his offer,' said Prime Minister Ishiba. Following Eto's resignation, Shinjiro Koizumi was appointed as the new agriculture minister. 'I was instructed to put rice before anything,' the former Environment Minister told reporters. 'At this difficult time, I will do my utmost to address the high rice prices that people are struggling with daily.' The current price of rice is around double what it was a year ago. Japan Takes Aim at Predatory Practices in Host Clubs On Tuesday, the National Diet enacted a revised law aimed at curbing predatory behavior at male host clubs. The new legislation prohibits establishments from threatening to force indebted customers into prostitution or jobs in the sex industry. It also bans manipulative sales tactics, such as telling customers they will no longer be allowed to see their preferred host or that the host will face penalties, like demotion, unless the customer continues to spend money on drinks and food. The amended law is set to take effect within six months of promulgation. Any business seen violating these new regulations will receive a warning and instructions to change their policies. Those that fail to comply will be threatened with the revocation of their business license. In addition, operators of sex-related businesses are now prohibited from paying male hosts to introduce women to work in their establishments. Violations of this provision could result in up to six months in prison, a fine of up to ¥1 million, or both. According to the National Police Agency, there were 2,776 consultations nationwide related to male host clubs in 2024. The GoFundMe page for Patricia Wu-Murad Remains of Connecticut Mother Found in Japan Two Years After She Went Missing The body of Patricia Wu-Murad, a mother of three from Connecticut, has been discovered more than two years after she went missing along the Kumano Kodo trail in Nara. Her husband, Kirk, announced the news on Saturday on the Facebook page the family set up to help find her. According to the message, on April 27, a member of the original US research team retraced the area where Wu-Murad's backpack had been discovered in September 2024. He then found several of her personal items and what appeared to be a femur. 'He delivered the remains to the local Japanese police, who confirmed they were human,' read the message . 'DNA testing was performed, and on May 9, we were notified that the remains were a match to Pattie, through comparison with our daughter's DNA.' Wu-Murad disappeared on April 10, 2023, after checking out of a guesthouse in Higashiomi city. She planned to follow a scenic hiking trail to Osaka, which was expected to take between seven and nine hours. After she failed to show up at the Taiyo-no-yu guesthouse that evening, staff called the police to report her missing. Yuki Tsunoda Recovers After Terrifying Crash To Finish 10th at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix Japanese Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda walked away unscathed on Saturday despite his Red Bull car somersaulting into barriers while he was driving at approximately 240 kilometers per hour during the qualifying round for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. He started from the pit lane the following day after his mechanics pieced the vehicle back together. A determined single-stop strategy salvaged a point for the Sagamihara-born driver as he finished 10th. The race was won by his teammate, Max Verstappen . The Dutchman is now third, 22 points behind leader Oscar Piastri from Australia . Britain's Lando Norris is second. In men's soccer, Daichi Kamada became the first Japanese player to start in the FA Cup final. He played the full 90 minutes as Crystal Palace defeated Man City 1-0 to claim the club's first major trophy in its 120-year history. In the English topflight, Kaoru Mitoma scored his 10th league goal of the season as Brighton defeated Liverpool 3-2. Ritsu Doan, meanwhile, grabbed his 10th Bundesliga goal in Freiburg's 3-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt. In Portugal, Hidemasa Morita helped Sporting CP win the league for the second successive year. In the women's FA Cup final, Hinata Miyazawa's Man Utd lost 3-0 to Chelsea, for whom Maika Hamano was an unused substitute. Related Posts British Couple in Shorts and T-Shirt Rescued From 'Ghost of Yotei' Mountain Actors Kei Tanaka and Mei Nagano Deny Affair Rumors Following Private Messages Leak Driver Deliberately Rams Car Into Seven Schoolchildren
