Japan's political parties tap support through online videos, social media
TOKYO -- In an age where videos are overflowing online and even politics is becoming part of the stream, candidates, parties, content creators and voters in Japan are being affected. Amid a sea of political videos, where are people headed?
At the west exit of JR Kamata Station in Tokyo's Ota Ward on April 24, Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), began a speech to support candidates for the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. People quickly gathered, taking out their phones to take photos and record videos.
Tamaki seemed used to it and told the crowd of some 300 people to come closer. He didn't forget to mention the name of his YouTube channel and ask the audience to "please subscribe."
After leaving the station, Tamaki promptly updated his social media account on X (formerly Twitter), with a post saying "More people than ever stopped to listen today," accompanied by a photo of the scene. The post began to be shared almost immediately and soon exceeded 400,000 views.
Tamaki's follower count on YouTube is one of the highest for a politician in Japan at over 570,000. The DPP also stands out for making significant progress on social media -- with around 256,000 subscribers on YouTube, outdoing the ruling Liberal Democratic Party at roughly 139,000 and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan at about 40,000.
On the evening of April 20, this Mainichi Shimbun reporter headed for Odakyu Shin-Yurigaoka Station in Kawasaki, south of Tokyo, having heard that volunteers were distributing flyers for right-wing party Sanseito. The emerging party's YouTube channel has approximately 300,000 subscribers, exceeding even the DPP's following.
Sanseito advocates strongly conservative policies, including "abandoning a masochistic view of history" and "repealing the current LGBT understanding promotion law."
The party also promotes viewpoints associated with conspiracy theories, such as emphasizing "the influence of international financial capitalists," which are propagated by its sympathizers through social media. Party leader Sohei Kamiya has gone as far as saying, "Sanseito used social media to become a national political party."
A 67-year-old man from Kanagawa Prefecture shared why he supports Sanseito. After graduating from Hitotsubashi University, he joined a leading securities firm in the early 1980s. Things went well during Japan's economic bubble period but drastically changed when it collapsed. Japanese-style management practices began falling out of favor, financial liberalization accelerated, and foreign capital started entering local markets.
Eventually, the man was forced to change jobs. The question of whether the Japanese model of management had actually been the right approach still lingered in his mind.
A turning point came three years ago when he watched a YouTube video of Kamiya speaking in front of Tokyo Tower on the final day of campaign activities for the July 2022 House of Councillors election. In his speech, Kamiya asserted, "We won't allow globalists to do as they please."
He recalled thinking, "I thought this was it. His (Kamiya's) views on food safety, health and national defense matched mine exactly." He added, "It's difficult to openly discuss anti-globalism or 'conspiracy theories' in public. So just having someone to openly discuss and share those views with is extremely enjoyable."
Eventually, he became a party member and found like-minded people within Sanseito. He intends to continue supporting the party as a mere member, saying, "It's fulfilling, so I want to help (the party) as much as I can."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kyodo News
24 minutes ago
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 22, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 10 hours ago - 00:26 | All, World, Japan The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- PM Ishiba's LDP set to post record-low results in Tokyo assembly vote TOKYO - Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party is expected to post record-low results in Sunday's Tokyo assembly election, regarded as a bellwether for the July House of Councillors race, as he struggles to steer a minority government in national politics. Tomin First no Kai, a regional party established by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, is likely to become the biggest force in the 127-member assembly, underscoring the appeal of her policies centered on quality of life. Tomin translates to Tokyoites. ---------- U.S. enters war with Iran, Trump says key nuclear sites wiped out WASHINGTON - U.S. airstrikes have "completely and totally obliterated" Iran's three key nuclear facilities, President Donald Trump said Saturday as Washington entered Israel's war against the Islamic Republic, threatening more attacks if Tehran does not change course. Trump said the U.S. objective in conducting "massive precision" strikes on the facilities was "the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's No. 1 state sponsor of terror." ---------- Japan vigilant amid Iran conflict, mum on support for U.S. attacks TOKYO - Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday that Japan is monitoring with "grave concern" the developments in the Middle East after the United States attacked Iranian nuclear facilities, though he refrained from expressing immediate support for the military action taken by its closest ally. Speaking to reporters, Ishiba underscored the importance of de-escalating the situation while stressing that Iran's nuclear development must be "blocked." ---------- Most Japanese worried about Mideast war's impact on daily lives: poll TOKYO - Most people in Japan are worried about how the outbreak of war in the Middle East could impact their daily lives, given the country's heavy dependence on the region for oil, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday. In the nationwide telephone poll, a total of 83.7 percent of respondents said they have concerns about the repercussions of the escalating Israel-Iran war. ---------- 2 Japanese men among 14 prisoners released by Belarus MOSCOW - Two Japanese nationals have been released from detention in Belarus and are in good health, a Japanese government source said Sunday. Belarusian state-run media reported Saturday that President Aleksandr Lukashenko decided to pardon 14 people, including two Japanese citizens, at the request of U.S. counterpart Donald Trump. ---------- Chinese ships spotted near Senkakus for record 216th straight day NAHA, Japan - Chinese coast guard ships were spotted near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea for the 216th consecutive day, the Japan Coast Guard said Sunday, marking the longest streak since Japan placed the islets under state control in 2012. The uninhabited islets, which China claims and calls Diaoyu, have remained a source of friction between the Asian neighbors. ---------- Mt. Shinmoe in southwestern Japan erupts, alert level maintained FUKUOKA - Mt. Shinmoe on the southwestern Japanese island of Kyushu erupted Sunday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The 1,421-meter volcano straddling Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures erupted around 4:37 p.m. and spewed smoke as high as 500 meters, the agency said. Video: MSDF helicopter carrier Ise, destroyer Suzunami make port call in Manila
Kyodo News
an hour ago
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 23, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 09:00 | All, Japan, World The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- LDP wins record-low seats in Tokyo assembly race, in blow to PM TOKYO - Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party suffered a record-low result in Sunday's Tokyo assembly election, seen as a prelude to July's House of Councillors race, further straining his minority government in national politics. Tomin First no Kai, a regional party established by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, won 32 seats, the most in the 127-member metropolitan assembly, indicating the popularity of her public welfare and child-rearing policies. One affiliated independent is included in the figure. ---------- Japan vigilant amid Iran conflict, mum on support for U.S. attacks TOKYO - Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday that Japan is monitoring with "grave concern" the developments in the Middle East after the United States attacked Iranian nuclear facilities, though he refrained from expressing immediate support for the military action taken by its closest ally. Speaking to reporters, Ishiba underscored the importance of de-escalating the situation while stressing that Iran's nuclear development must be "blocked." ---------- U.S. defense chief says strikes on Iran were not about regime change WASHINGTON - The U.S. military's strikes on Iran's key nuclear sites were not aimed at regime change and targeted neither its troops nor civilians, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday. Speaking of Saturday's attacks against Iran, Hegseth touted U.S. President Donald Trump's "bold and visionary leadership, and his commitment to peace through strength," asserting that the United States has shown the world that its "deterrence is back." ---------- FOCUS: Tokyo rebuke puts Ishiba at risk in national election TOKYO - A sharp warning from voters for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's party in Sunday's Tokyo assembly election has signaled that his tenure could be at risk, with his ruling bloc in danger of losing its majority in the upcoming national vote. The House of Councillors election, expected to take place on July 20, is shaping up as a de facto referendum on Ishiba's leadership, as the ruling coalition led by his Liberal Democratic Party has already become a minority in the House of Representatives. ---------- Most Japanese worried about Mideast war's impact on daily lives: poll TOKYO - Most people in Japan are worried about how the outbreak of war in the Middle East could impact their daily lives, given the country's heavy dependence on the region for oil, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday. In the nationwide telephone poll, a total of 83.7 percent of respondents said they have concerns about the repercussions of the escalating Israel-Iran war. ---------- Chinese ships spotted near Senkakus for record 216th straight day NAHA, Japan - Chinese coast guard ships were spotted near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea for the 216th consecutive day, the Japan Coast Guard said Sunday, marking the longest streak since Japan placed the islets under state control in 2012. The uninhabited islets, which China claims and calls Diaoyu, have remained a source of friction between the Asian neighbors. ---------- 2 Japanese men among 14 prisoners released by Belarus MOSCOW - Two Japanese nationals have been released from detention in Belarus and are in good health, a Japanese government source said Sunday. Belarusian state-run media reported Saturday that President Aleksandr Lukashenko decided to pardon 14 people, including two Japanese citizens, at the request of U.S. counterpart Donald Trump. ---------- Mt. Shinmoe in southwestern Japan erupts, alert level maintained FUKUOKA - Mt. Shinmoe on the southwestern Japanese island of Kyushu erupted Sunday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The 1,421-meter volcano straddling Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures erupted around 4:37 p.m. and spewed smoke as high as 500 meters, the agency said. Video: Promotion party for sumo grand champion Hoshoryu
Yomiuri Shimbun
an hour ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
LDP Suffers Historic Defeat in Tokyo Assembly Election
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The Liberal Democratic Party, headed by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, suffered a historic defeat in Sunday's Tokyo metropolitan assembly election, in the lead-up to the House of Councillors election next month. Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites first group) overtook the LDP as the largest force in the Tokyo metropolitan assembly. The LDP saw its Tokyo assembly share hit a record low. Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner in national politics, failed to see all of its candidates elected, for the first time in nine metropolitan assembly elections. Tomin First, a regional party with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike as special adviser, the LDP and Komeito, all of which support the governor, maintained their combined majority in the assembly. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party for the People and Sanseito won their first seats in the Tokyo assembly. Japanese political parties focused on the Tokyo assembly election, as its results are expected to influence their strategies for the upcoming Upper House race. A total of 295 candidates, the most since the start of the previous Heisei era in Japan, ran in 42 electoral districts in the assembly race, discussing issues including measures to cope with inflation and a political funds scandal involving the LDP. Tomin First won 31 seats, up from its pre-election share of 26 seats, followed by the LDP, with 21 seats, down from 30 seats, Komeito, with 19, down from 23, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, with 17, up from 12, and the Japanese Communist Party, with 14, down from 19. The DPFP and Sanseito won nine and three seats, respectively. A new regional party led by Shinji Ishimaru, who came in second in last year's Tokyo gubernatorial election, endorsed 42 candidates, but none of them won a seat. Voter turnout was 47.59%, up from 42.39% in the previous metropolitan assembly election.
