‘Japanese First’: breakthrough by rightwing populists sparks fears of anti-foreigner backlash in Japan | Japan

On Sunday, the emergence of a right -wing populist party in Japan’s upper home elections ran on a Trump -style “Japanese” slogan.

The party, Sanseito, a expanding immigrant population and pandemia after a major influx of tourists successfully disturbed. However, many of them see the underlying reason as economic insecurity between both overseas labor and a population that understands the need for visitors, and are concerned about the changes they bring and symbolize.

The new union of 14 top home deputies from a single seat in Sanseito’s previous election is undoubtedly a breakthrough, but still leaves a small power in the 248 seat room. As of 2024, his success comes on the ground of 3.8 million foreign residents, tourists exceed 20 million in the first quarter of this year, and Tokyo real estate prices are rapidly rising due to wealthy foreign buyers.

“Simply say, I feel that the Japanese began to lose confidence, Mas says Masafumi Usui, a professor of social psychology at Niigata Seyryo University. “When you live a comfortable life and respect by others, then you feel safe and you are more open. But when people feel that they are under threat or in crisis, they start to want to protect their current cultures.

Adapt to a new reality

In the 1980s, USUI says that during the 1980s, Japan is seen as a center of power to look at and learned. However, as GDP growth becomes stagnant and neighbors such as China and South Korea began to leave it behind in the sectors from electronic to shipbuilding, it argues that Japan is struggling to adapt to its new reality.

“I think the people who get into hate speech like ‘get out of Japan’ are still a minority,” he says. “But more and more people ‘Why are we spending money on foreigners? Instead, he started to say. And I think Sanseito’s’ Japanese first’ slogan in the election was a chord with people who think that they should maintain Japanese culture and lifestyle.”

Japan’s foreign -born population is only about 3% of the inhabitants. One of the contradictions is that Japan should increase this figure to enlarge its economy. Sanseito’s response to chronic labor shortage of automation and artificial intelligence, but even immigrants accept that more foreign workers are necessary for the near future.

Akio Ono has about a dozen Vietnamese in the company where air conditioners have established, orum I continue with them well, most of the men. But when they go to customers’ homes, they still have to continue with a Japanese colleague. ”

Although police statistics showed that immigrants commit less crimes in proportion to the local population, the crimes of foreigners who often traveling on social media have also created shackles. Ono believes that the news about the Vietnamese and the Chinese theft rings are bir a big part of what guides concerns about migration ”.

Orum I love the men I work with, but if a group of Vietnam or Chinese wandering, I find them a little scary.

Reduction of Victory Days

Tocyonori Sugita, who operated a metal processing factory just south of Tokyo, leaned to the right, but rejected Sansito. He sees the main concerns of voters as the economy and sales tax promised by Sanseito.

“Actually, ‘What can they do to return the Chinese who bought land?” Sugita questions.

“I have seen the Vietnamese here under the technical trainee training program for nearly three years, or he says. “They are mostly working hard and they are serious; unlike some Japanese who complained very much.”

The tourist explosion also aroused contradictory emotions. Although the money spent for visitors for luxury accommodation and high -level meals increases the economy that seems cheap compared to global standards, it is a clear reminder of Japan’s declining from the magnificent days.

Usui pointed out that the Japanese people are not aware of the gradual decline in relative prices in the last few decades until the last few decades of foreign tourists go home in the last few decades.

“The truth is that Japan has become a cheap country. [£50] Marine chestnuts for foreigners. Therefore, in order to protect their emotional prosperity and maintain their self-value, people stick to the idea that Japanese culture is the best. “