A fringe far-right populist party Sanseito was one of the biggest winners in the weekend's upper house election, attracting many voters with “Japanese First" platform that included calling for tougher restrictions on foreigners and the curtailment of gender equality and diversity policies.

Campaigning under the nationalist slogan “Japanese First,” the party capitalised on growing public frustration with immigration, inflation and the ruling coalition’s performance.View on euronews

The Sanseito party tapped into discontent over issues galvanizing voters worldwide: inflation, immigration and a political class dismissed as out of touch.

The small rightwing populist party led by firebrand Sohei Kamiya won 14 seats in Sunday’s Upper House election.

Populist ideals are gaining traction in Japan, spurred by right-wing politicians running rampant elsewhere railing against “elitism”, “globalism” and immigration.

In a significant political shift, Prime Minister Ishiba's coalition lost its majority in Japan's upper house, marking the first such loss for the LDP since 1955. The far-right Sanseito party gained traction with anti-immigrant rhetoric,

Anti-establishment parties focused on wages, immigration and an unresponsive political elite struck a chord with working-age people in Japan.

Japan’s shaky ruling coalition is likely to lose its majority in the upper house, exit polls showed after Sunday’s election, potentially heralding political turmoil as a tariff deadline with the United States looms.

Internal rivals and a resurgent nationalist right are jeopardising Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s already precarious position.