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Make The Japanese Empire Great Again: Far-right party Sanseitō's website lauds the Imperial Rescript on Education, which venerates Japan's Emperor, demands loyalty and filial piety, and exhorts citizens to "offer yourselves courageously to the State."
We look at Japan's hard swing to the right along with some good news from the Upper House election (yes, there was some!), the precariousness of daycares in Japan, and a new option for overnight lodging in this week's edition of the free Unseen Japan Newsletter.
https://us20.campaign-archive.com/?u=e9c0d2fc400d4b96cabfca61a&id=a138779231
Why do Maye Musk and Michael Bolton (the singer, not the programmer) heap praise upon Fukami Tōshū? We take a look at Fukami, the religion known as Worldmate, and the mysterious female prophet behind its teachings in this week's Unseen Japan Insider.
What's the best Studio Ghibli film? That is, of course, a matter of personal preference. UJ Editor-in-Chief Noah Oskow gives his own favorites - and reasons - in his exhaustive ranking of every Ghibli film ever made to date. Check it out below.
https://unseen-japan.com/the-ultimate-ranking-of-the-studio-ghibli-universe/
When Japan passed its LGBT Understanding Promotion Act in 2023, five hard-right members of the ruling LDP opposed it. Sankei notes that four of those five have since lost their seats in Japan's Diet. (The remaining member's seat wasn't up for election.)
This screencap shows what happened in Japan's Upper House election. The majority of the Liberal Democrat Party's support (far left) came from people aged 50 and above. Meanwhile, support for right-wing Sanseito (orange) and the DPFP (blue) among the young was strong.
Some good Japan election news: Bigot Sugita Mio, who's called LGBTQ people "unproductive" and referred to Ainu people as "cosplayers," has lost her bid for a seat in Japan's Upper House. Seems voters have had enough of her hateful theatrics.
A 19yo French man who attempted to "bullet climb" Mt. Fuji (climbing overnight w/o resting) had to be rescued. Shizuoka Prefecture requires overnight Fuji climbers to rent huts; the man & his brother booked one, but broke the rules with a 10pm night climb.
NHK reports that the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Kōmeitō won't win the 50 Upper House seats they need to form a government in Japan. With the right-wing Sanseito and conservative DPFP picking up seats, it's unclear right now who can form a government.
The surge in anti-immigrant sentiment in Japan has led to increasing online attacks against award-winning author Yu Miri (TOKYO UENO STATION). Attackers tell her not to write in Japanese and "go home."
Yu is Zainichi Korean, born in Japan. Japanese is her native language.
If your train plans in Tokyo involve the Yamanote Line right now...bad news. Both the outer and inner loops are currently stopped due to a fire (possibly from a smartphone) between Shinjuku and Shin-Okubo Stations. The Chuo and Saikyo Lines are also stopped.
Tokyo is home to many great cafes, kissa, and junkissa where you can kick up your feet, enjoy a beverage, and even sometimes grab a full meal. Here are a few of our favorites, as well as a rundown on which type of shop sells what.
Ever been nervous about quitting your job? Ever been so nervous that you wish someone could do it for you? In Japan, resignation proxy companies will quit so you don't have to. Here's how they work and why they're increasingly popular among Japan's young.
A woman in Japan won a lawsuit against a former lover. The reason? He failed to divulge a teensy tiny detail: his marriage. The case marks a rising trend in the country, as more people use dating apps, not to find the love of their life, but to cheat on their spouses.
Sanseitō, one of Japan's far-right parties, is expected to overperform in the upcoming Upper House elections. How has it built up its base? Mainly by taking a page out of US President Donald Trump’s fascist playbook - i.e., by lying about immigrants.
In other Sanseitō news, Tokyo Upper House candidate Saya is garnering criticism for a 2023 YouTube video in which she proposed that Japan institute mandatory military service, saying, "They can teach things in the military they can't teach you in schools."
Kamiya Sōhei, head of right-wing Japanese political party Sanseitō, used and then immediately walked back his use of "chon" (チョン), a Japanese slur against Koreans, which he used as a synonym for "moron": "I apologize for my discriminatory language earlier."
Confused about who's who in Japanese politics and what they advocate? With next week's Upper House election almost here, it helps to have a roadmap. Here's a complete guide to all the major parties, how they came to be, and what's at stake in the upcoming vote.
A men's concept cafe employee in Japan, 23yo Maruyama Ayumu, is under arrest after he cajoled a 17yo minor to come to his store. However, what's really causing a buzz is the drastic difference between Maruyama's appearance on social media versus real life.
