Japanese Prime Minister

Japan’s ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has experienced another electoral setback, according to exit polls from Sunday’s upper house elections. LDP General Secretary Hiroshi Moriyama emphasized the need to prevent a political vacuum.

Public dissatisfaction, fueled by rising prices and the goverment’s immigration policy, is evident in voter sentiment. This discontent is benefiting anti-immigration populist movements, with the openly xenophobic Sanseitō party projected to gain seats in the upper house.

The Constitutional Democratic Party of japan, the largest opposition party and led by former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, is also anticipated to secure additional seats, based on the exit poll data.

Sanseitō marks the first Japanese political party to effectively leverage anti-immigration sentiment. Japan has historically taken pride in its homogeneous society,with foreign nationals comprising only 3% of its 124 million population.

However, this demographic is rapidly increasing due to labor demands in an aging society. Last year, the foreign-born population reached 3.8 million, an increase of 10.8% year-on-year.

Japanese media coverage frequently enough highlights negative aspects of immigration, including alleged misuse of the national health insurance system. Additionally, a surge in foreign tourism has contributed to a negative perception of foreigners, with media reports frequently detailing instances of disruptive behavior.