Japan First Party Explained

Japan First Party
Native Name:Japanese: Nippon Dai-ichi Tō
Colorcode:
  1. 000000
Abbreviation:JFP
Leader1 Title:Leader
Leader1 Name:Makoto Sakurai
Founder:Makoto Sakurai
Headquarters:Suginami City, Tokyo, Kantō
Membership Year:2021
Membership:1,122
Ideology:
Position:Far-right[4]
Colours:
Seats1 Title:Councillors
Seats2 Title:Representatives
Seats3 Title:Prefectural Assembly Members
Seats4 Title:Municipalities
Country:Japan

The is a far-right political party in Japan founded by Makoto Sakurai.

History

On August 15, 2016, Sakurai announced in front of a crowd at the annual gathering to protest the Hantenren in front of Yasukuni Shrine that he would not stop at the Tokyo election, and would create a new political party to prioritize and benefit the people of Japan over foreign powers.[5] After first jokingly announcing the new party name as, he formally announced on August 29, 2016, the party name .[6]

The JFP held its first convention in APA Hotel on February 26, 2017, and Sakurai, who was until then de facto leader, formally became leader of the JFP.[7]

As of April 27, 2017, there are about 1800 party members, but no members of the party in any government office.[8] The same day,, sitting beside Sakurai, formally announced at a press conference his plan to run for the upcoming Tokyo Prefecture Legislature Election (ja) in July 2017.[9]

In 2021, Makoto Sakurai ran for the Tokyo gubernatorial election and received 178,784 votes (2.92%).The Japan First Party ran in the 2021 Japanese general election running a total of 5 candidates, with 33,611 votes (0.52%) and Makoto Sakurai having 9,449 votes (3.96%) in the Tokyo 15th District.

The Japan First Party ran in the 2022 Japanese House of Councillors election running a total of 10 candidates, with 109,046 proportional votes (0.21%) and 74,097 constituency votes (0.14%).

Policies

Many of the promises from Sakurai's campaign in the Tokyo gubernatorial election have been included in the policies outlined by the JFP such as the exclusion of foreigners from receiving welfare. The policies include the rewriting of the Japanese constitution from scratch to put the Emperor as the head of state, install a military, and make defense of the country a civic duty.[10] JFP is also evaluated as a Netto-uyoku or alt-right group.[11]

Election results

House of Representatives

+ House of Representatives
ElectionLeaderNo. of
candidates
SeatsPositionConstituency votesPR Block votesStatus
No.±ShareNo.ShareNo.Share
2021Makoto Sakurai011th33,6610.06%9,4490.02%align=center style="background:#ddd;"
2024Makoto Sakuraidid not contestdid not contestalign=center style="background:#ddd;"

House of Councillors

+ House of Councillors
ElectionLeaderSeatsPositionConstituencyParty listStatus
Won±ShareTotalNumber%Number%
2022Makoto Sakurai0%15th74,0970.14%109,0460.21%align=center style="background:#ddd;"

Tokyo Gubernatorial

ElectionCandidateResult
Votes%
2016Makoto Sakurai114,1711.74
2020Makoto Sakurai178,7842.92
2024Makoto Sakurai83,6001.20

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Patrick Heinrich, Yumiko Ohara . Routledge Handbook of Japanese Sociolinguistics . Makoto Sakurai of the ultranationalist Japan First Party has been involved in numerous anti-Korean demonstrations, and he also ran for the Tokyo mayor election in 2016. . 2019 . . 9781351818391 .
  2. Web site: 日本第一党綱領 . japan-first.net . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329033122/https://japan-first.net/platform/ . 29 March 2018 . Japan First Party Programme . Japanese .
  3. News: Toshihiro . Menju . 19 February 2020 . Can Japan Embrace Multiculturalism? . live . Nippon.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200317131443/https://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/d00534/can-japan-embrace-multiculturalism.html . 17 March 2020 .
  4. Web site: Japanese far-right hate group helped popularize anti-Korean sentiment . Sharkey . Colleen . 25 August 2021 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210922015428/https://keough.nd.edu/japanese-far-right-hate-group-helped-popularize-anti-korean-sentiment/ . 22 September 2021 .
  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrg1V65LaPc&t=1037s&ab_channel=giovannimandez The Moment Sakurai Announces New Party
  6. News: ja:元在特会会長が「新党」 桜井誠氏、「日本第一党」立ち上げ . Former Chairman of the Special Association launches "New Party" Makoto Sakurai, "Japan First Party" . J-CASTニュース . 2016-08-30 . https://www.j-cast.com/2016/08/30276473.html.
  7. News: Saigusa. Gentaro. February 26, 2017 . ja:桜井誠氏が日本第一党を結党 「政権を取ったら韓国と断交する」 仇敵、神奈川新聞の石橋学記者に向かって「北朝鮮の批判をしてもヘイトかい?」. Makoto Sakurai Forms the Japan First Party "If we get the power we will break ties with South Korea" To rival Kanagawa Shimbun journalist Manabu Ishibashi "Is it also hate if we criticize North Korea?". http://www.sankei.com/politics/news/170226/plt1702260010-n1.html. ja. Sankei Shimbun. Tokyo. February 27, 2017.
  8. News: April 28, 2017 . ja:日本第一党 都議選に元日本郵政社員の新人を擁立 結党以来初の公認 移民政策反対、外国人生活保護支給停止など公約. Japan First Party Supports Former Japan Postal Service Employee Novice in Tokyo Legislature Election. First Official Recognition Since Founding of Party. Anti-Immigration, a Stop to Welfare for Foreigners in Policies.. https://www.yamatopress.com/local-assembly/in-japan-the-first-party-election-from-newcomer-of-the-japan-postal-service-employees-fielded-since-the-partys-first-official-immigration-policy-against-the-pledges-such-as-the-alien-life-protection/. ja. Yamato Press. 2 May 2017.
  9. Web site: - YouTube . ja:【2017/4/27】岡村幹雄:日本第一党公認候補予定者発表記者会見【日本第一党】. Japan First Party . April 27, 2017 . YouTube. Japan First Party. April 28, 2017. ja. (April 27, 2017) Mikio Okamura: Japan First Party Officially Recognized Planned Candidate Announcement Press Conference (Japan First Party).
  10. Web site: http://japan-first.net/policy/ . ja:日本第一党政策 . Japan First Party . August 2016 . 1 February 2017 . ja . Japan First Party Policies.
  11. Book: Patrik Hermansson . David Lawrence . Joe Mulhall . The International Alt-Right: Fascism for the 21st Century? . 2020 . Routledge.