On July 20, 2025, Japan held its 27th House of Councillors election, and it saw a voter turnout that surpassed the previous election by over 6 percentage points, despite being a hot summer day. This suggests a high level of public interest.
Election Results: Changes in Political Landscape
The ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party, lost 13 seats and Komeito lost 6 seats, resulting in a total of 122 seats, which is less than half of the 124-seats needed in the House of Councillors. This follows a major defeat in last year’s general election, leading to the ruling coalition having a minority in both houses.
Meanwhile, the main opposition party, Constitutional Democratic Party, did not gain any seats, while the Democratic Party for the People increased their tally by 13 seats to reach 22 seats and became the second-largest opposition party, surpassing the Japan Innovation Party which holds 19 seats. The “Sansei Party,” advocating for “Japanese first,” increased its seats from 2 to 15.
Foreign Workers as a Key Issue
The election hinted that the treatment of foreign workers was an important issue for many voters. The article discusses public opinion surrounding foreign workers based on annual surveys, noting a shift in 2024. Historically, opinions were divided:
- Those who believe the increase of foreign workers is unavoidable.
- Those who think any further increase is undesirable.
Japan has struggled with a labor shortage since the 1980s and began accepting certain foreign residents with fewer restrictions. Despite this, Japan faces deep-rooted issues with foreign workers, who provide cheap labor but are not fully accepted socially.
In 2014, following policies to use foreign workers for temporary needs like disaster recovery and Olympics preparation, public acceptance grew. However, recent changes in public opinion reflect concerns about long-term foreign residents under new policies set to begin in 2027 that aim to train and secure foreign workers.
Surveys show differences in acceptance of foreign workers based on age and satisfaction with life. Generally, older people who may rely on foreign workers in medical care are more accepting, while middle-aged individuals who may face job competition are more cautious.
Public Opinion on Neighboring Countries
In addition to views on foreign workers, there is a clear divide between acceptance groups on relations with neighboring countries like South Korea and China. Those accepting foreign workers favor better relations, while skeptics see no need for improvement.
Overall Sentiment and Future Considerations
This election result and the surveys suggest that dissatisfaction with current situations, including foreign worker policies, might be influencing opinions. It remains to be seen if public sentiment aims for stricter government control or if resolving broader dissatisfaction could lead to easing concerns over foreign workers.
The government’s current stance is to not accept foreign workers as immigrants, but they are essential to Japan’s workforce. Addressing public dissatisfaction and clearer integration guidelines could be key in tackling these issues.
by MagazineKey4532