The Inquiry26 Aug 2025

Is Japan moving to the right?

A far-right party which came to prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic recently showed itself to be a contender to Japan’s centrist political establishment, when it grew from one seat, three years ago to 15 seats in the recent elections.

Known as Sanseito, the party is led by Kamiya Sohei, whose YouTube videos spread conspiracy theories about vaccinations. Its political platform is a nationalist ‘Japanese first’ agenda and warns against a ‘silent invasion of foreigners’.

Whilst for Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party coalition, the election results were bruising. The LDP lost its majority in the Upper House, having already lost control of the Lower House last year. But its embattled Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, whilst facing calls from within his party to resign, has said he has no plans to quit.

Against this backdrop, there’s a growing unease amongst Japanese voters over issues like immigration, over-tourism and the economy and Sanseito are tapping into that.

Joining us to discuss Japan's political climate are Kenneth Mori McElwain, professor of Comparative Politics, University of Tokyo, Japan; Dr Fabian Schäfer, chair of Japanese Studies, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany; Jeffrey Hall, author and lecturer, Kanda University of International Studies, Eastern Japan; Dr Kristi Govella, associate professor of Japanese Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford, UK.

Presenter: William Crawley Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Evie Yabsley Technical producer: Craig Boardman Production management assistant: Liam Morrey Editor: Tara McDermott

Image credit: Reuters via BBC Images

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(594)

Is Portugal’s drugs policy in need of reform?

In 2001, Portugal decriminalised the possession and use of all illicit drugs. It was a move designed to mitigate the country’s public health crisis, which at the time meant Portugal had one of the wor...

2 Jun 23min

What’s the future for monetary unions?

At the beginning of this year Bulgaria, considered as one of the poorest countries in the European Union, became the latest to officially join the eurozone. Bulgaria’s legal tender since 1881 had been...

26 Mai 23min

Are the Himalayan glaciers at a tipping point?

The Himalayan glaciers are melting more rapidly as global temperatures rise, raising concerns about the future of ecosystems and communities across the Himalayan mountain range. Glaciers store more th...

19 Mai 24min

What is the future of the European Union?

The recent election result in Hungary has been seen as a welcome relief within the European Union.The bloc of 27 nations has, at times, felt frustrated with the country for blocking what the other 26 ...

12 Mai 23min

Are countries really running out of jet fuel?

Global oil markets have been affected by the US Israel war with Iran, leading to higher jet fuel prices and increased attention on supply risks.But how serious is the situation? While some experts poi...

2 Mai 24min

Should we mine the Moon?

The recent Nasa Artemis II crewed mission to the far side of the Moon is a further step towards a long-term return to the lunar surface and future missions to Mars. The plan is that before the end of ...

28 Apr 23min

Cycling: Is it time to swap four wheels for two?

Conflict in the Middle East has led to volatility in global oil prices, pushing up fuel costs worldwide. Previous oil shocks prompted some countries to reconsider their reliance on cars, investing in ...

21 Apr 24min

How will countries boycotting Eurovision affect the contest?

Broadcasters from The Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Spain and Slovenia are all boycotting May’s Eurovision Song Contest because Israel is participating. Sources within Israel’s broadcaster say calls ...

14 Apr 24min