August 6th 2025.
Now, it's Japan's turn to experience the full circle of history. Like many parts of Europe and other continents, the country is rapidly catching onto the contagious Far-Right ideology. We can see this through the emergence and rise of pro-Nazi forces in Germany and a pro-Fascist political party in Italy, both of which have gained significant support from the public. These two countries, along with Japan, were known as the Axis powers and were largely responsible for the hate-driven politics that sparked the Second World War. Japan may have seemed immune to these forces before the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, but now, signs of a movement inspired by anti-migrant and xenophobic ideas, such as US President Donald Trump's infamous "MAGA" slogan, are becoming more visible. In fact, the Far Right party, Sanseito, recently won 14 seats in the upper house of Japan's government, making it clear that the Right-wing Populist Party is gaining traction at a national level.
This trend in Japan mirrors what has happened in Europe, where Far-Right populist parties initially found success in small, underestimated ways. The Japanese version of this political movement, led by Sanseito and their "Japanese First" ideology, shows how populism can adapt and thrive as a political platform. Sanseito's main focus is on three issues: the perceived threat of "globalist" elites, the influx of allegedly criminal foreigners, and the corruption within the political establishment. These themes are similar to those used by other global populist leaders, such as Germany's Alice Weidel. By tapping into people's resentments against these groups, these parties are able to capture the imagination of the public and gain support. Their goal is to "reclaim" the nation from these perceived threats, whether they are real or imaginary. In fact, Sanseito's leader, Kamiya Sohei, openly admits to borrowing this strategy from Trump and other Right-wing populists.
We have seen in other countries how potent and long-lasting this ideology can be. Even if these parties eventually lose power or disappear, their ideas can leave a lasting impact on the minds of the people. The ultimate goal of these populist agendas is not to promote a new ideology, but to weaken people's trust in democratic institutions and norms. They use social media and other forms of communication technology to strategically attack and undermine these institutions, causing long-term damage that is not easily reversible. In short, these parties are actively dismantling the democratic foundations that exist around the world. It's no coincidence that Kamiya, like the world's richest man, Elon Musk, has turned to social media to spread his political beliefs and gain support for his grand plan to launch a political party. Since 2013, Kamiya has been using his YouTube channel, "ChGrandStrategy," to promote Far-Right propaganda, historical revisionism, and conspiracy theories. With over 338,000 subscribers and 3,000 videos, this channel has more reach than any mainstream political party in Japan. This highlights the power of social media and how it has become a base and constituency for many Right-wing populists.
Both Kamiya and Musk understand their limitations and are not aiming to gain a majority in parliament or congress. Their goal is to win a few seats and use them as bargaining chips to further their political ambitions. Sanseito's recent surge in popularity can be attributed to frustrated voters who are struggling with economic woes and have lost faith in the long-governing conservative coalition of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Kamiya has already ruled out forming an alliance with traditional parties like Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), but is open to cooperating with other emerging parties in hopes of forming a multiparty coalition similar to those seen in Europe. However, many people see potential dangers in the rise of these autocratic forces on the world stage, as it could have grave consequences for peace, order, and growth.
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