The latest news on Japan. Elections to Japan's upper house were held on Sunday and, for the first time since 1955, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito lost their majority. Voters have been particularly critical of the current government headed by Shigeru Ishiba, who has had to announce a general price hike, and with whom they are unhappy about his handling of the tariffs imposed by President Trump.
This has given wings for Sanseito's far-right opposition to grow rapidly in the Japanese parliament, rising from one seat to 14 yesterday. Sanseito is a party formed under the slogan "Japan First" in which one of its main slogans is to curb immigration into the country, exclude foreigners from health care and welfare, and rewrite the constitution to put the emperor back as head of state, restore the institution of the army and reinstate compulsory military service, according to the BBC.
Sanseito became popular during the COVID pandemic for spreading fake news and government conspiracy theories, in a discourse very similar to that of other alternative right-wing movements that have emerged in the last decade around the world.
For his part, and despite having effectively lost legislative power in the country, Prime Minister Ishida, who many blame for not being as conservative as his predecessor Shinzo Abe, does not plan to resign. How he intends to maintain effective power over the country for six years until the next election remains an open question.