The right-wing party Sanseito becomes the fourth political force in Japan

The right-wing party Sanseito established itself as one of the main winners in Japan's upper house elections held on Sunday, attracting votes thanks to its rhetoric about a "silent invasion" of illegal immigrants in the country and its proposal to reduce taxes and spending on social programs.

Founded on YouTube during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanseito became known for criticizing the handling of the pandemic and rejecting globalism, until it managed to break into traditional politics with its slogan "Japan First."

The right-wing political force secured 14 seats in this election, adding to the single seat it had won three years ago in the upper house, which is composed of 248 members. In the lower house, which holds greater legislative power, the party only has three representatives.

With this result, Sanseito positioned itself as the fourth opposition force in the chamber, ranking behind the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), and Nippon Ishin no Kai.

"The phrase 'Japan First' was intended to express the reconstruction of the livelihood of the Japanese people through resistance to globalism. I'm not saying we should completely ban the entry of foreigners or that all foreigners should leave Japan," explained Sohei Kamiya, leader of the group, age 47, in statements to the local network Nippon Television after the elections.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party, together with its ally Komeito, lost the majority in the upper house, which increases its dependence on opposition support after the setback it had already suffered in the lower house in October.

"We were criticized for being xenophobic and discriminatory. The public came to understand that the media were wrong and Sanseito was right," said Kamiya.

According to political analysts, Kamiya's rhetoric resonated with a segment of the electorate that feels disillusioned by a stagnant economy and a devalued currency. This situation has turned Japan into an attractive destination for an unprecedented number of immigrants, and has driven prices to levels that many local citizens can no longer afford.

Kamiya, who previously worked as a supermarket manager and taught English classes, told Reuters before the elections that he took as a reference the "bold political approach" of U.S. President Donald Trump.

He has also drawn parallels with right-wing parties such as Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the United Kingdom's Reform UK, although the anti-illegal immigration right has not yet managed to establish itself strongly in Japan as it has in European countries and in the United States.