Japan's ultraconservative Sanseito party is taking a more cooperative stance toward the ruling coalition, helping to pass bills, with the small opposition force apparently hoping to boost its policy credentials before local elections next spring.
With its "Japanese first" mantra that tapped into anxieties over the country's growing foreign population, Sanseito came to greater prominence in the 2025 House of Councillors election with a strong showing owing partly to voters disaffected with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, then led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba.
Strong alignment with the LDP over a conservative agenda, however, did not translate into substantive cooperation after the LDP's emphatic election win under Takaichi in the House of Representatives election in February.
That was despite the LDP and its junior coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, lacking a majority in the upper house, and Sanseito and another small party, the Democratic Party for the People, controlling enough seats to help the coalition clear the majority threshold.
But the tide appears to have changed in Sanseito's relations with the coalition in recent weeks, with the party moving to back a bill to revise the country's controversial retrial system after the DPP, seen as a possible coalition partner, declined to support it.
On a lawmaker-drafted bill to outlaw desecration of the Japanese flag, too, Sanseito joined the ruling coalition and the DPP in submitting the legislation to parliament, after the LDP accepted Sanseito's request to extend punishments to individuals waving Japanese flags with a cross mark on them at stump speeches.
The change marks a significant shift from earlier in the year, when the LDP appeared to be snubbing Sanseito by not involving it to join a cross-party national council to discuss tax-cutting measures.
Sanseito later opposed the 2026 fiscal budget, with leader Sohei Kamiya saying it and the LDP's "policy overlap is decreasing."
"The governing parties' attitude is what has changed," a top Sanseito official said of the recent shift in relations. "Perhaps they have come to realize that Sanseito will cooperate when called on," the official added, in a hint further deals could be possible.
Part of the shift in calculations may be due to unified local elections next spring, seen as a test for Sanseito to strengthen its regional foundations. The party has said it wants to field 600 candidates in the polls.
© KYODO
23 Comments
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ShinyAndChrome
An unholy alliance between the LDP and Sanseito.
Why? a bold X over the red sun and white field to symbolize rejection of the party or opposition to Japanese nationalism. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/28/japan/politics/sanseito-flag-damage
So it's not about the flag. It's about them.
Limiting free speech, ultranationalism, militarization, high inflation, low wages. Well Japan, you voted for it.
sakurasuki
So what will happened to good legal standing foreigners that living in Japan, law abiding?
Wallis Gelmar
@sakurasuki: Nothing. Pay your tax and get on with your life as normal.
sakurasuki
@Wallis Gelmar
How come you are so sure, just see what really happened to foreigners with business manager visa this year.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260522/p2a/00m/0na/024000c
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2026/06/08/our-lives/indian-restaurateur-business-visa/
Ebisugaoka
Are you totally sure about that?
Politik Kills
In a word, yuk.
Capuchin
10 of Sanseito's members were found avoiding paying their health insurance premiums. How ironic for party that cooks up statistics to spread lies about foreigners.
https://sp.m.jiji.com/english/show/47725
That jumped up racist Kamiya should go back to managing supermarkets.
Geeter Mckluskie
agriculture and immigration control...get on it!
OssanAmerica
The LDP simply prioritizes continued existence as the party in power. Everything they've done vis-a-vis foreigners has been to accomodate the popularity of ideas spread by this Kamiya and Sanseito. If the LDP had their own way they'd be treating the "foreigner problem" as nothing more than the required numbers to meet the needs of Japanese industry.
Sanseito are garbage. Just like MAGA.
wallace
The party of corruption, not law and order. While they complain about foreigners.
Aly Rustom
Wow. Just wow.
He's underqualified for that. He should work in a dumpster, since he likes spewing garbage.
masterblaster
There really isn't a big difference policy between the two parties. Sanseito in the beginning was trying to go a it alone but realized as everyone does, the LDP actually runs this place.
Aly Rustom
No doubt. The LDP was always Sanseito lite but was on a leash because of Komeito. Now they are a bull in a China shop.
No doubt. Japan is a 1 party dictatorship.
William77
The LDP is rotting inside and so they need to find support by siding these evil,populists and xenophobic Sanseito thing and his very questionable leader.
Will_Rendle
egads man!Today 08:56 am JST
Added to that, most people in Japan don't work for major corporations so they won't be seeing these multi-decaded high base pay increases.
Aly Rustom
Very true. Well said William.
u_s__reamer
Kamiya likes to be seen as a veritable walking symbol of Japaneseness wrapped in the "Big Red Meatball" advertizing his lurve for the country, but now get that orange tie, surely a signal to his orange crush and foreign inspiration who is positively not "Japan First".
Aly Rustom
And still has high tariffs on Japan.
Shane Sommerville
Cracking down on the dodgy Chinese and Vietnamese businesses.
Geeter Mckluskie
and were expelled from the party as a result
Aly Rustom
Probably the only ones that will be able to live here are those with PR. I've heard (haven't been able to confirm) that they've already scrapped the 5 year working visa and now the max is 3 years. Last night I was talking to a friend who said that they're thinking of also doing away with that and just giving everyone 1 year visas AND keeping the 100,000 yen renewal, pretty much ensuring that NO ONE can make or save money. Whether that last part will actually come into action is not confirmed, BUT there are VERY dark days ahead.
That is exactly what they voted for.
Geeter Mckluskie
due to more and more of foreign-filled jobs becoming obsolete
Sounds like a lot of short term labour for construction or transition to automation gaps are being considered in current visa adjustments. I imagine those in areas like healthcare and those with specific skills crucial to viable sectors in need will be offered longer visas.
wallace
Japan has not scrapped the 5-year working visa, and 3 years is not the maximum. Standard work visas (such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services) can still be issued for 1, 3, or 5 years by the Immigration Services Agency (ISA).
You need a five-year visa to apply for PR.