Japan's Sanseito party surges to 14 seats on anti-immigrant rhetoric

SKSohei Kamiya founded Sanseito in Mar. 2020 as a YouTube-based political movement. He gathered supporters online during the COVID-19 pandemic, initially gaining attention through anti-vaccine messaging. The party won its first Diet seat in 2022.

In the Jul. 20, 2025 upper house election, Sanseito won 14 of 124 contested seats. The party captured 12.6% of the national vote, the third-highest share of any party. It was the first time a clearly far-right party has exceeded 10% of the vote in Japan.

Kamiya explicitly blamed immigrants for economic problems in campaign speeches. He claimed foreign workers would increase crime and said Foreigners tend to forge anything and are good at finding legal loopholes. He asked crowds, Why do foreigners come first when the Japanese are struggling to make ends meet?

Economists contradict Kamiya claims. The Bank of Japan Tankan survey shows labor shortages at 30-year highs. The OECD projects Japan unemployment will stay at 2.5% through 2026. Japan plans to accept 1.23 million foreign workers through 2028 to address the shortage.

Digital Transformation Minister MTMasaaki Taira warned on Jul. 16, 2025 that foreign actors were targeting the election with disinformation. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary KAKazuhiko Aoki confirmed the government was investigating. The warning came four days before voting.

Sanseito YouTube strategy outpaced traditional parties. The party channel has 500,000 subscribers, compared to the ruling LDP 140,000. Kamiya built the party by gathering people on the Internet and bypassing mainstream media.

The LDP-Komeito ruling coalition lost its upper house majority for the first time since the LDP founding in 1955. The coalition now holds 122 seats, four short of the 126 needed for a majority. Prime Minister Ishiba said he would remain in office.

Kamiya said he models himself on Donald Trump and draws inspiration from European far-right parties. He named Germany AfD, France National Rally, and Britain Reform UK as ideological allies. Sanseito launched an international division to build ties with Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson.