Tokyo [Japan], July 21: Japan's ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has suffered another setback in elections to the upper house of parliament, exit polls predicted on Sunday.
The coalition, which draws in the conservative Komeito as junior partner, faces losing its majority in the upper house, after previously losing its majority in the lower house.
The outcome of Sunday's vote could put Ishiba's minority government under additional pressure and ring in a period of political
instability.
Following the exit polls, Ishiba indicated that he intended to remain in office, despite some opposition forces having rejected the option of entering into coalition with the ruling parties.
The premier stressed the need to take responsibility for the current situation. LDP General Secretary Hiroshi Moriyama said a political vacuum had to be avoided.
Polls indicate dissatisfaction in the electorate over rising prices and the government's immigration policy.
Anti-immigration populists are benefiting, with the openly xenophobic Sanseit? party forecast to pick up seats in the upper house.
The largest opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan led by former prime minister Yoshihiko Noda, could also gain seats, according to the exit polls.
Sanseit? is the first Japanese party to successfully exploit anti-immigration
sentiment.
Japanese tend to feel pride in their homogeneous society, where just 3% of the population of 124 million are foreign nationals.
That number is rising sharply amid demand for labour in a rapidly ageing society, reaching 3.8 million last year, and up 10.8% on the year.
Japanese media frequently report the negative sides of immigration, such as alleged abuse of the national health insurance system.
A boom in foreign tourism has also contributed to the negative image of foreigners, with media reports highlighting rowdy behaviour.
Source: Qatar Tribune
