Latest news with #rising prices
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
Voters in Tokyo reflect shifting political views across Japan
As voters headed to the polls on Sunday for what could be one of the most turbulent elections in recent history, constituents across Tokyo reflected the nation's diverging political beliefs. Amid heightened debate over rising prices, some voters stuck to their usual choices, while others began to seek alternatives, underscoring the fragmentation of Japan's political landscape. Although the rise in popularity of smaller parties has been making headlines in recent weeks, especially given the success of parties like the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) in the Lower House election last year and the far-right Sanseito in the Tokyo Assembly election last month, many — especially among the older generation — continue to vote for the same parties as they always have. '(I voted for) the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan — I always vote for them,' said 84-year-old Goro Hashimoto in Toshima Ward on Sunday morning. 'They care about the people, which is especially important with rising prices.' Another voter in her 80s, Natsuko Hagi, shared that she cast her vote for the Japanese Communist Party, as she always has. 'I want them to make (the country) better for the elderly and children,' she said. Loyalty to the ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), remains intact among some of its supporters. 'I voted for Keizo Takemi,' said 57-year-old Satoshi Kaguragi, referring to the LDP candidate in the Tokyo district who is running for re-election for the sixth time at the age of 73. 'Why? Because he's from the LDP.' On the other hand, many constituents, frustrated with the current state of affairs, have turned away from the LDP and are seeking possibilities in newer and smaller parties. 'I used to vote for the LDP, mainly because when the opposition came into power, they couldn't cooperate in Kasumigaseki and all they did was complain without offering any solutions,' said 63-year-old Ono, who only gave his last name. He cast his vote for Sanseito for the first time after being impressed by their straightforward messaging. 'Right now, (the LDP is) not putting the country first.' 'I don't know how far they will go or what power is backing them at the moment, but I think the message they're sending is very respectable,' said Ono, saying that he wanted to cast his vote for the potential he believes Sanseito represents. Takashi Kudo, a 37-year-old father, was spending the three-day weekend with his family in Shibuya Ward but voted early for the DPP in his Miyagi Prefecture hometown. 'Up until now, I used to support the LDP, but after hearing about everything that's been happening, I started thinking that the LDP is no longer the right choice,' said Kudo. 'Child-rearing issues are a top priority for me, but nothing really changes under (the LDP).' Others say they have been committed to the DPP since last year's Lower House election. A 64-year-old man, who asked to go by his last name, Ishii, said he supports the party because of how straightforward and realistic their policies are. 'I feel that the DPP has the casting vote (within the Diet), and that makes me believe they have the ability to influence the government,' he said. 'I'm counting on them.' Messaging from the DPP is also resonating with some members of the younger generation. 'I like their promise to support the working generation,' said Inoue, a 21-year-old college student, who also declined to share his first name. 'I think that's a really good policy, especially when considering Japan's future in the long-term.' Other young people, including 26-year-old Mai Kajikawa, who admits that she isn't as up-to-date on politics as she should be and mostly gets her information from social media, also believes that the current government cannot stay in power — though she hadn't yet decided who to vote for. 'I think (the government) is just stiff and entrenched,' she said, adding that her main interest lies in policies aimed at improving the situation for working women. 'I'm aware it might be cherrypicking to some extent, but because I see so many posts trending on X questioning whether we should trust the people currently in power, I felt like I should cast my vote in this election to help change things.'
CNA
2 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Japan heads to polls in key test for PM Shigeru Ishiba
TOKYO: Japanese voters could unleash political turmoil as they head to the polls on Sunday (Jul 20) in a tightly contested upper house election, with rising prices and immigration concerns threatening to weaken Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's grip on power. Opinion polls suggest Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner Komeito may fall short of the 50 seats needed to retain control of the 248-seat upper house of parliament in an election where half the seats are up for grabs. The polls show smaller opposition parties pushing for tax cuts and increased public spending are set to gain, among them the right-wing Sanseito, which vows to curb immigration, oppose foreign capital inflows and reverse gender equality moves. A poor showing by the coalition could shake investor confidence in the world's fourth-largest economy and disrupt critical trade talks with the United States, analysts said. Ishiba may have to choose between making way for a new LDP leader or scrambling to secure the backing of some opposition parties with policy compromises, said Rintaro Nishimura, an associate at the Asia Group in Japan. "Each scenario requires the LDP and Komeito to make certain concessions, and will be challenging, as any potential partner has leverage in the negotiations." After the election, Japan faces a deadline of Aug 1 to strike a trade deal with the United States or face punishing tariffs in its largest export market. Such import levies could squeeze the economy and further pressure the government to give financial relief to households already reeling from inflation, such as a doubling of rice prices since last year. With an eye on a jittery government bond market, the LDP has called for fiscal restraint, rejecting opposition calls for major tax cuts and welfare spending to soften the blow. Ishiba's administration lost its majority in the more powerful lower house in October. That was the LDP's worst showing in 15 years, roiling financial markets and leaving the prime minister vulnerable to no-confidence motions that could topple his administration and trigger a fresh general election. Ruled by the LDP for most of the post-war period, Japan has so far largely avoided the social division and fracturing of politics seen in other industrialised democracies.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Weakened mandate looms for Ishiba as Japan votes in upper house election
Japanese voters could unleash political turmoil as voting got under way on Sunday in a tightly contested upper house election, with rising prices and immigration concerns threatening to weaken Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba 's grip on power. Opinion polls suggest Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and coalition partner Komeito may fall short of the 50 seats needed to retain control of the 248-seat upper house of parliament in an election where half the seats are up for grabs. The polls show smaller opposition parties pushing for tax cuts and increased public spending are set to gain, among them the right-wing Sanseito, which vows to curb immigration, oppose foreign capital inflows and reverse gender equality moves. A poor showing by the coalition could shake investor confidence in the world's fourth-largest economy and disrupt critical trade talks with the United States, analysts said. Ishiba may have to choose between making way for a new LDP leader or scrambling to secure the backing of some opposition parties with policy compromises, said Rintaro Nishimura, an associate at the Asia Group in Japan. 'Each scenario requires the LDP and Komeito to make certain concessions, and will be challenging, as any potential partner has leverage in the negotiations.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Japan's PM Ishiba faces uphill battle in upper house election amid rising prices and US tariffs
TOKYO (AP) — Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba faces an increasingly uphill battle in Sunday's upper house election, and a loss could worsen political instability at a time of daunting challenges, such as rising prices and high U.S. tariffs. A poor performance would not immediately trigger a change of government but it would deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's future path. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffered a humiliating loss in a lower house election in October as its usual supporters registered their unhappiness over past corruption scandals and high prices. Ishiba is struggling to regain voter confidence. His minority government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through the Diet, or parliament. That has hindered its ability to quickly deliver effective measures to curb rising prices and win wage increases. On top of shortages and soaring prices for rice, a traditional staple, Ishiba has been stymied by President Donald Trump's tariff demands. Frustrated voters are rapidly turning to emerging populist parties, including one that is promoting anti-foreign policies and backpedaling on gender equality and diversity. Here's a look at Sunday's election: Instability, win or lose Ishiba has set a low bar for the vote — a simple majority. Half of the 248 seats for six-year terms in the upper house are being decided, and the LDP and its junior coalition partner Komeito would need to win a combined 50. Added to the 75 coalition-held seats that are not being contested in this election, it would be a big retreat from the 141 seats the coalition held before the election. If the ruling coalition fails to secure a majority, 'there will be a move within the LDP to dump Ishiba,' said Yu Uchiyama, a University of Tokyo professor of political science. 'It makes a leadership very unstable.' Under any successor, the ruling coalition would be a minority in both houses, he said. If Ishiba's coalition secures a majority and he stays on, his leadership will remain weak, with little hope of improved support ratings, Uchiyama said. 'Either way, it is essential for the minority government to seek opposition parties' cooperation to achieve any policy.' Trump, rice and price woes Measures to mitigate soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top focus of frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Rice prices have doubled since last year due to supply shortages, overly complex distribution systems and other reasons related to Japan's farming, causing panic buying as Ishiba has struggled to resolve the crisis. Trump has added to that pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations, blaming a lack of sales of U.S. autos and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect Aug. 1 has been another blow for Ishiba. Ishiba has resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect for a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition. The rice issue has cost Ishiba one farm minister. Rice prices remain high even after the farm minister's replacement, Shinjiro Koizumi, moved quickly and boldly to address the problem by ordering the emergency release of stored rice from reserves, helping to refill grocery store shelves in time for the election. Koizumi, son of popular former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, is a potential challenger to Ishiba. An emerging populist right and xenophobia Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors have suddenly emerged as a key issue. The Sanseito party stands out with the toughest anti-foreigner stance with its 'Japanese First' platform that proposes a new agency to centralize policies related to foreigners. It wants stricter screening for allowing Japanese citizenship and to exclude non-Japanese from welfare benefits. The party's populist platform is also anti-vaccine, anti-globalism and favors traditional gender roles. Its stance has encouraged the spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the election campaign and on social media, critics say. A typical claim is that a rapid increase in foreign workers has hurt Japanese workers' wages and that foreigners use a large share of welfare benefits and have made Japanese society unsafe. 'Foreigners are used as targets to vent their discontent and unease,' Uchiyama said, comparing the scapegoating to that in Europe and the United States under Trump. Experts say most of the rhetoric is disinformation aimed at frustrations among Japanese struggling to get by. Government statistics show foreign residents account for about 3% of both Japan's total population and of welfare benefit recipients. The Liberal Democrats, under a slogan 'zero illegal immigrants,' have pledged to crack down on growing illegal employment of foreigners and against allowing them to default on social insurance payments or medical bills. The party also set up a task force to promote an orderly society, a move aimed at enforcing stricter measures on foreigners to address growing public unease. The rising conservative Democratic Party for the People, or the DPP, also is calling to restrict foreign ownership of Japanese real estate. The move triggered protests by human rights activists and alarmed foreign residents. Given that its population is rapidly aging and shrinking, Japan needs foreign workers. It should discuss immigration policy more strategically, Takahide Kiuchi, an executive economist at Nomura Research Institute, wrote in a recent analysis. Still, the opposition is fractured Conservative to centrist opposition groups, including the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, or CDPJ, the DPP, and Sanseito have gained significant ground at the Liberal Democrats' expense. They are believed to be raking in conservative supporters of the ruling party who are disappointed by Ishiba's leadership and flip-flops on policies. Ishiba is caught between his party's ultraconservatives and mainstream opposition leaders. Still, the eight main opposition groups are too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative. When Ishiba lost big in October, there was speculation about a trilateral coalition government with the Komeito and the DPP or another conservative group, the Japan Innovation Party. But they've since cooperated only on certain legislation. If the ruling coalition loses its upper house majority, that could spark a regrouping among coalitions. Yoshihiko Noda, a former prime minister and head of the opposition CDPJ, said the loss of ruling coalition majorities in both houses of parliament would enable opposition parties to push policies blocked by the LDP. Those include cuts in the consumption tax, recognition of same-sex marriages, and a law allowing married couples the option of each keeping their own names.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Japan's PM Ishiba faces uphill battle in upper house election amid rising prices and US tariffs
TOKYO (AP) — Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba faces an increasingly uphill battle in Sunday's upper house election, and a loss could worsen political instability at a time of daunting challenges, such as rising prices and high U.S. tariffs. A poor performance would not immediately trigger a change of government but it would deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's future path. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffered a humiliating loss in a lower house election in October as its usual supporters registered their unhappiness over past corruption scandals and high prices. Ishiba is struggling to regain voter confidence. His minority government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through the Diet, or parliament. That has hindered its ability to quickly deliver effective measures to curb rising prices and win wage increases. On top of shortages and soaring prices for rice, a traditional staple, Ishiba has been stymied by President Donald Trump's tariff demands. Frustrated voters are rapidly turning to emerging populist parties, including one that is promoting anti-foreign policies and backpedaling on gender equality and diversity. Here's a look at Sunday's election: Instability, win or lose Ishiba has set a low bar for the vote — a simple majority. Half of the 248 seats for six-year terms in the upper house are being decided, and the LDP and its junior coalition partner Komeito would need to win a combined 50. Added to the 75 coalition-held seats that are not being contested in this election, it would be a big retreat from the 141 seats the coalition held before the election. If the ruling coalition fails to secure a majority, 'there will be a move within the LDP to dump Ishiba,' said Yu Uchiyama, a University of Tokyo professor of political science. 'It makes a leadership very unstable.' Under any successor, the ruling coalition would be a minority in both houses, he said. If Ishiba's coalition secures a majority and he stays on, his leadership will remain weak, with little hope of improved support ratings, Uchiyama said. 'Either way, it is essential for the minority government to seek opposition parties' cooperation to achieve any policy.' Trump, rice and price woes Measures to mitigate soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top focus of frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Rice prices have doubled since last year due to supply shortages, overly complex distribution systems and other reasons related to Japan's farming, causing panic buying as Ishiba has struggled to resolve the crisis. Trump has added to that pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations, blaming a lack of sales of U.S. autos and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect Aug. 1 has been another blow for Ishiba. Ishiba has resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect for a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition. The rice issue has cost Ishiba one farm minister. Rice prices remain high even after the farm minister's replacement, Shinjiro Koizumi, moved quickly and boldly to address the problem by ordering the emergency release of stored rice from reserves, helping to refill grocery store shelves in time for the election. Koizumi, son of popular former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, is a potential challenger to Ishiba. An emerging populist right and xenophobia Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors have suddenly emerged as a key issue. The Sanseito party stands out with the toughest anti-foreigner stance with its 'Japanese First' platform that proposes a new agency to centralize policies related to foreigners. It wants stricter screening for allowing Japanese citizenship and to exclude non-Japanese from welfare benefits. The party's populist platform is also anti-vaccine, anti-globalism and favors traditional gender roles. Its stance has encouraged the spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the election campaign and on social media, critics say. A typical claim is that a rapid increase in foreign workers has hurt Japanese workers' wages and that foreigners use a large share of welfare benefits and have made Japanese society unsafe. 'Foreigners are used as targets to vent their discontent and unease,' Uchiyama said, comparing the scapegoating to that in Europe and the United States under Trump. Experts say most of the rhetoric is disinformation aimed at frustrations among Japanese struggling to get by. Government statistics show foreign residents account for about 3% of both Japan's total population and of welfare benefit recipients. The Liberal Democrats, under a slogan 'zero illegal immigrants,' have pledged to crack down on growing illegal employment of foreigners and against allowing them to default on social insurance payments or medical bills. The party also set up a task force to promote an orderly society, a move aimed at enforcing stricter measures on foreigners to address growing public unease. The rising conservative Democratic Party for the People, or the DPP, also is calling to restrict foreign ownership of Japanese real estate. The move triggered protests by human rights activists and alarmed foreign residents. Given that its population is rapidly aging and shrinking, Japan needs foreign workers. It should discuss immigration policy more strategically, Takahide Kiuchi, an executive economist at Nomura Research Institute, wrote in a recent analysis. Still, the opposition is fractured Conservative to centrist opposition groups, including the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, or CDPJ, the DPP, and Sanseito have gained significant ground at the Liberal Democrats' expense. They are believed to be raking in conservative supporters of the ruling party who are disappointed by Ishiba's leadership and flip-flops on policies. Ishiba is caught between his party's ultraconservatives and mainstream opposition leaders. Still, the eight main opposition groups are too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative. When Ishiba lost big in October, there was speculation about a trilateral coalition government with the Komeito and the DPP or another conservative group, the Japan Innovation Party. But they've since cooperated only on certain legislation. If the ruling coalition loses its upper house majority, that could spark a regrouping among coalitions. Yoshihiko Noda, a former prime minister and head of the opposition CDPJ, said the loss of ruling coalition majorities in both houses of parliament would enable opposition parties to push policies blocked by the LDP. Those include cuts in the consumption tax, recognition of same-sex marriages, and a law allowing married couples the option of each keeping their own names.
