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Right-Wing Populist Sanseito Strips Ruling Coalition of Upper House Majority

The July 20 vote handed Sohei Kamiya’s insurgent Sanseito party pivotal votes in a now-minority upper house coalition.

Overview

  • Sanseito surged from one to 15 seats in the July 20 upper house election, ending the LDP-Komeito coalition’s six-decade dominance.
  • Without a majority in the 248-member chamber, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s government must negotiate backing on an issue-by-issue basis.
  • Ishiba has resisted calls to resign but now faces pressure from within the LDP over the coalition’s weakened mandate.
  • Sanseito leveraged YouTube, TikTok and other social media platforms to mobilize younger voters frustrated by economic stagnation and demographic decline.
  • Under Sohei Kamiya’s “Japanese First” banner, the party is pushing strict immigration curbs, constitutional revision and expanded imperial authority.