Sohei Kamiya speaking with JAPAN Forward (©JAPAN Forward)
Sanseito, a relatively new but fast-growing force in Japanese politics, has been described in some media reports as "cult-like." Its grassroots supporters are unusually energetic for a Japanese party, and its slogans, such as Nihonjin Faasuto ("Japanese People First"), have drawn controversy at home and abroad.
For party leader Sohei Kamiya, however, such criticism says more about the discomfort of the political establishment than about the movement itself.
Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with JAPAN Forward, Kamiya argued that Sanseito's distinctiveness lies in its members' intensity. Unlike older parties, he said, Sanseito has no industry groups or vested interests behind it.
"Our supporters are motivated purely by the party's philosophy and by wanting to make Japan better," he explained.
Because there is no visible payoff, outsiders struggle to understand their commitment. When confronted with something they cannot explain, Kamiya added, critics often dismiss it as religious or cultish. "It's the same as brushing off an inconvenient argument as a conspiracy theory."
The Slogan Debate
Much of the debate around Sanseito has focused on its use of the slogan Nihonjin Faasuto, which inevitably invites comparison with Donald Trump's "America First." Kamiya acknowledged that similarity but emphasized that the phrase was not borrowed wholesale from abroad.
Instead, it emerged from member surveys that tested different options. The slogan, he said, was meant to convey opposition to runaway globalization and economic policies that were widening the wealth gap and hollowing out the middle class. "What we wanted to emphasize," he said, "was protecting the everyday lives of ordinary Japanese people."
Still, he conceded that wording remains delicate. Some fear the phrase could be interpreted as discriminatory toward foreigners. "That was never the intent," Kamiya said. If necessary, the party might reconsider.
But in his view, attaching such slogans to xenophobia reflects a misunderstanding. "It was never about exclusion but about protecting ordinary life."
Passing on the '"Baton of Life'"
Beyond slogans, Kamiya repeatedly returned to themes of family and demographic renewal. He described society as a chain of responsibility in which each generation carries a "baton of life" passed down from parents and grandparents.
If today's Japanese think only of themselves, he warned, that chain will collapse. "We are here because our parents and grandparents carried heavy burdens to raise us. If our generation says, 'As long as we're okay, who cares about the next,' then society and the nation will collapse."
To prevent that collapse, Sanseito has advanced proposals such as a monthly allowance of ¥100,000 JPY ($672 USD) per child, larger pensions or tax breaks for parents with big families, and broader incentives for child-rearing.
Kamiya argued that these policies would strengthen the nation far more than relying on foreign labor. "Why pay to bring in foreign workers when we could instead support young Japanese families to raise more children?" he asked. "That is the kind of child-rearing policy we want to build."
But for Kamiya, money is not enough. He insisted that cultural and moral renewal must underpin demographic reform.
Raising children is difficult, he said, but it also brings growth and joy, and Japanese society needs to recover that sense of gratitude. "The most important thing is the human heart, the Japanese heart. Having children is a blessing, and young people need to learn that from an early age."
Yasukuni and the Burden of History
Kamiya also spoke about his visit to Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, the anniversary of Japan's surrender in the Greater East Asia War. The trip drew criticism abroad, but he argued that much of this reflects historical misunderstandings.
Internationally, he said, Japan is often portrayed as uniquely aggressive, but that ignores the colonial context of the era. "At the time, almost all of Asia was colonized by Western powers. Japan had to expand militarily to survive. There was a strong element of self-defense."
He rejected the idea that visiting Yasukuni glorifies war. "Every country commemorates those who died defending it. Japan should be able to do the same," he said.
The point of the visit, he argued, is to honor sacrifice while vowing never to repeat the mistakes of the past. "What we need to explain abroad is that we go to Yasukuni not to justify war, but to express gratitude and to pledge never to fight such a war again."
Leadership, the LDP, and Sanseito's Growth
Sanseito's rapid rise has prompted questions about its internal dynamics, with some critics suggesting Kamiya governs with an iron fist. He rejected that view, describing the party as rooted in "DIY politics" in which members bring forward ideas that are then considered by the leadership.
Yes, he admitted, budget and personnel decisions ultimately rest with him, because without clear authority, parties collapse in infighting. But, he argued, the fact that Sanseito has grown from four Diet members to eighteen shows that members are willing to follow. "If I were truly dictatorial, nobody would stay," he said.
Kamiya contrasted Sanseito's trajectory with that of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, now in the midst of a leadership contest. In his view, the LDP has exhausted its ability to reform itself. "The LDP will never change," he said bluntly. "It is incapable of change. The party should dissolve and start over."
A Country Built on Its Regions
Hailing from a small town in Fukui Prefecture, Kamiya emphasized the importance of regional revival. He warned against the indifference of urban residents toward rural decline. "Cities don't produce food or energy. They rely on the countryside for everything. Yet people in the cities act as if the countryside has nothing to do with them. That indifference is dangerous."
The real foundation of urban prosperity, he said, lies in the contributions of regional communities. "Without strong regions, the cities cannot survive."
The Imperial Succession Debate
On the delicate subject of imperial succession, Kamiya sought to clarify his position. As a party, Sanseito supports continuation through the male line, he stressed. Personally, he has argued that in cases where a male heir is too young, a female imperial family member could serve temporarily, as happened in Japanese history.
But this, he insisted, should never be mistaken for an endorsement of a permanent shift. "The priority must be to increase the number of male heirs, through adoption or restoring former branches of the imperial family. A temporary female reign should be seen only as a bridge, not a principle."
Pressure and Political Violence
Kamiya also acknowledged the risks of political life. In the wake of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's assassination, and after the recent killing of conservative figure Charlie Kirk in the United States, he admitted that harassment against him has intensified.
"When I was unknown, there was no problem," he said. "But since entering the Diet, harassment at street speeches and online abuse have escalated."
Opponents sometimes try to drown him out with loudspeakers or even light smoke flares. While he does not yet consider himself in immediate danger, he warned that "if it continues unchecked, physical attacks could follow."
Despite this, he said, he refuses to be silenced. If politicians let fear stop them, democracy itself would collapse. "That is why I will continue to speak out."
A Nation That Still Has What It Takes
In the end, Kamiya returned to Sanseito's central mission: building a Japan that remembers its past, honors its ancestors, and prepares responsibly for its future.
For him, national interest means a country where not only today's citizens, but also future generations and those who came before can live with dignity. "Japan must build a strong, self-reliant nation capable of protecting that," he said.
What he refuses is resignation. "I don't want Japan to become a country that just shrugs and says, 'We lost, so there's nothing we can do.' Japan still has what it takes. We want to build a nation where the people can truly feel its potential."
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Author: Daniel Manning
