‘Japanese First’: Rising Anti-Foreigner Sentiment Sparks Political Surge in Japan

A rising wave of anti-foreigner sentiment is sweeping across Japan, surfacing not only in online discourse but now prominently in political rallies and party platforms. With foreign residents now accounting for nearly 3% of the population and tens of millions of tourists visiting annually, some Japanese citizens are voicing fears that their nation’s identity and safety are under threat.

At a recent campaign rally ahead of Japan’s July 20 Senate elections, Sohei Kamiya, leader of the rising nationalist Sanseito party, boldly declared, “Japanese first!” The message was clear: Japan must reclaim control of its national destiny and resist becoming a “nation of foreigners.”

This slogan, once fringe, is fast becoming mainstream.

A Cultural Backlash

On platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and other Japanese social media outlets, the “fed up with foreigners” movement has been building for months. Critics accuse non-Japanese residents and tourists of disregarding Japanese customs and exploiting the nation’s hospitality.

Akiko, a Tokyo resident, told Franceinfo, “The Chinese who live in my building leave large trash items on the sidewalk without using the proper services or paying the collection fee. I don’t want these kinds of disruptive foreigners to come to Japan.”

Many Japanese citizens express similar frustrations — not just over behavior, but over what they see as demographic and cultural replacement.

“There are fewer and fewer Japanese babies being born,” Akiko added. “But a growing number of foreigners are coming here. Japan risks no longer being the Japan of the Japanese.”

Sanseito Rides the Wave

Founded in 2020, the Sanseito party has emerged as a powerful voice for Japanese nationalism. Party leader Sohei Kamiya makes no apology for the party’s stance.

“Our slogan is ‘Japanese first,’” he said in a recent speech. “We don’t want immigrants settling to replace Japanese people, but only to welcome foreign workers on a temporary basis.”

Sanseito’s message — once dismissed as too hardline — is now gaining serious traction. Other right-wing parties are adjusting their platforms to echo the new talking point: “the problem of foreigners.”

A Global Echo?

Japan’s debate mirrors broader trends across the West, where concerns over mass migration, national identity, and cultural survival are sparking political realignments. But in Japan, a country long resistant to mass immigration, the backlash is taking on an especially urgent tone.

The message is unmistakable: many in Japan are no longer willing to be polite about preserving their culture.

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