Sanseitō's Surge in Elections Stemmed from Grassroots Campaign: "Japan First" Party Gains Momentum with Grassroots Approach
In the intricate political landscape of Japan, a new player, Sanseito, a far-right political party, has been making waves. Established in April 2020, Sanseito has focused on securing seats in local assemblies, a strategy that has proven successful. The party has established chapters in almost all of Japan's single-member House of Representatives constituencies, totaling 287 out of 289.
The lower-house electoral system, implemented in 1996, combines single-seat districts with large multi-member 'proportional-representation blocs'. However, the Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that the large 'disparity in the value of a vote' in this system violated the Constitution, leading to the redrawing of the electoral map to better reflect population distribution.
Sanseito's strategy of establishing party chapters in single-seat districts, even in areas where its chances of winning are slim, could give the party another boost in the next general election. A loser in the single-seat districts can be 'resurrected' via proportional representation, based on the percentage of votes the party receives.
The party has been successful in capturing many local assembly seats by fielding candidates where there is a lack of competition, particularly in rural jurisdictions with candidate shortages. Between 2023 and 2025, Sanseito particularly gained strong support in suburban and rural districts of the Kanto and Kansai regions, characterized by younger populations and moderate political backgrounds.
As of the end of July 2025, Sanseito politicians held a total of 155 municipal and prefectural assembly seats. The deposit required for candidacy in municipal assembly elections in Japan is relatively low, making it accessible for parties like Sanseito to field candidates.
Local assembly members are expected to function as 'ground forces' in their parties' national election campaigns, contributing materially to the planning and implementation of a party's national election strategy. Despite the limited number of days local assemblies convene each year, this free time allows assembly members to dedicate themselves to their parties' causes.
The economic slump that began in the 1990s accelerated the exodus of young people from the countryside to urban areas, leading to the subdivision of many electoral districts. This urbanisation trend could further benefit Sanseito, as its supporters belong overwhelmingly to the urban and suburban middle class.
However, Sanseito's rise has not been met with universal approval. The party currently controls only 60 seats in local assemblies nationwide, with the Conservative Party of Japan occupying only 9. This contrasts with the Reiwa Shinsengumi, a leftwing party, which controls a significantly larger number of seats.
In the 2023 unified local elections, almost 14% (2,057) of all assembly members elected ran uncontested. This trend, coupled with the general neglect of local assembly elections by emerging political parties, has allowed Sanseito to make significant inroads in Japan's political landscape.
As of 2022, Sanseito claimed about 45,000 members and supporters, and its rolls are currently estimated at around 68,000. The party's success in local elections underscores the importance of grassroots organising in Japan's political landscape, and it will be interesting to see how Sanseito's influence evolves in the coming years.
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