Ahead of Japan’s July 20 elections, a populist opposition party called Sanseito has garnered much confusion and criticism from Japanese people online over proposed political measures related to video games, anime and manga. While Sanseito is a minority party, based on current forecasts, it is expected to capture a significant number of seats in Japan’s House of Councillors.
On its official homepage, Sanseito highlights Japan’s entertainment industry (specifically anime, manga and video games) as a “core industry,” that generates yearly revenue comparable to the country’s semiconductor exports. Sanseito says that these forms of media “go beyond entertainment, becoming important tools for Japan’s cultural diplomacy and international influence.” As such, the party intends to support the industry’s expansion through several measures.
For context, this is the Japanese version of Reform UK or AfD.
Are these those crackpots who ride around Tokyo in those decorated soccer mom vans and scream nationalist slogans and slurs against “foreigners” out of loudspeakers?