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Agence France-Presse

Elon Musk has voiced support for an anti-immigration demonstration in Japan, where the number of foreign-born residents is low and a “Japanese first” party did well in recent elections.
The Tesla and SpaceX chief and former adviser to US President Donald Trump has backed far-right parties in other countries, such as Alternative for Germany.
Commenting on a video of the modest rally in Japan posted on social media by an account called The British Patriot, South African-born Musk said on Monday: “Good”.
The account, which describes itself as a “Proud white British man with indigenous roots”, said the clip showed Japanese protesters “demanding the deportation of all illegal immigrants”.
“From Australia to Europe to Japan, citizens are uniting for remigration,” it said.

🚨BREAKING: Protests erupt in Japan demanding the deportation of all illegal immigrants.
From Australia to Europe to Japan, citizens are uniting for remigration.
The Globalist agenda is crumbling. pic.twitter.com/v4MRpAMiff
— The British Patriot (@TheBritLad) August 31, 2025

The video appears to have been shot in the port city of Osaka on Saturday and shows people holding Japanese flags and banners opposing mass immigration, including one that says: “Don’t make Japan Africa.”
Immigration levels in Japan remain low compared to other rich economies, and surveys have put it far down the list of voters’ concerns. But with an ageing population, one of the world’s lowest birth rates and worker shortages in many industries, the number of immigrants is increasing.
Last year, the number of Japan’s foreign residents rose by more than 10 per cent to 3.76 million, a record for the third year in a row and making up just over 3 per cent of the population.
Xenophobic slogan?
In July, the anti-immigration Sanseito party did well in upper house elections, growing its seat tally to 15 from two. In the lower chamber, it has three members of parliament.
Its agenda echoes other populist movements around the world, but its “Japanese First” slogan has been widely criticised as xenophobic, and foreign residents of Japan are concerned about rising discrimination.
Shin Su-gok, a third-generation South Korean in Japan who works as a human resources development consultant and representative of an organisation fighting hate speech, is concerned about the movement’s potential to fuel discrimination, exclusion and even mob violence.
During the election campaign, she received numerous complaints from foreigners of Asian descent who said they were no longer able to walk the streets because they feared for their safety. Others are afraid of having their names called during hospital visits or when ordering something by phone.
“The solidarity of the masses who wanted to reaffirm ‘we are the best’ and ‘foreigners are to blame for our suffering’ has become visible. People who believe discrimination and exclusion are justified gather and form an alliance with those in power. This situation is very similar to that of early Nazi Germany.”

German-born Sandra Haefelin, who has been living in Japan since 1998, says she is uneasy with the phrase because the definition of Japanese is vague.
“I am a Japanese citizen and have lived in Japan for 27 years, but I am often perceived as a ‘foreigner’ based on my appearance,” said the TV personality and essayist. “When politicians say ‘for the Japanese people’, I don’t think they include people like me. I’m sure there are many foreign residents in Japan and Japanese people with foreign roots who feel the same way.”
Those who promote the slogan argue that it refers to “people with Japanese nationality”. However, people are often judged based on their appearance. “In such a context, ‘Japanese First’ can be used as a tool to promote discrimination,” Haefelin said.
Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple University in Tokyo, called the idea that the slogan “Japanese First” is not discriminatory “pure sophistry”.
“The call to limit concentrations of foreign residents is discriminatory. This is typical of ethnonationalists who dog-whistle about immigration while denying that it’s their intent,” said Kingston, who specialises in modern Japanese history and Southeast Asian political and diplomatic policy.
Ultimately, he believes that the Japanese economy would be “crippled” without foreign workers, and that those in power value their role.
“What Sanseito has done is politicise immigration and push it into the public discourse, forcing other parties to clarify their stance on the issue. Now, the genie is out of the bottle. From now on, this will be up for debate, and extreme parties will try to play the anti-foreign card.”
Additional reporting by Kyodo


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Japan

Musk backs Japan’s anti-immigrant rally amid foreigner fears over ‘Japanese first’ policy

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk salutes the crowd in Washington, DC, on January 20. Photo: AFP

Supporters of Japan’s Sanseito party celebrate a day after the upper house election on July 21. Photo: Reuters

Is Japan becoming anti-immigrant? Far-right parties gain momentum in election lead-up

Voters listen to Sohei Kamiya, leader of the opposition Sanseito party in front of JR Shimbashi Station in Tokyo on July 3. Photo: Kyodo

Demonstrators protest against racism and nationalist party Sanseito in Shinjuku, Tokyo ahead of the upper house election on Sunday. Photo: AP

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party has unveiled new proposals targeting foreign nationals in Japan. Photo: Kiyoshi Ota/Pool via Reuters

Sanseito’s party leader Sohei Kamiya speaks in Tokyo on July 3 ahead of the upper house elections. Photo: EPA

What’s behind the rise of Japan’s Sanseito, a far-right party that loves Trump and hates immigration?

Sohei Kamiya, right, the secretary general of Sanseito. File photo: Getty Images 

Ayako Lawrence, right, married to a man born in Japan to British parents, was not into politics until she heard Donald Trump talk. She joined right-wing Sanseito last year. Photo: Twitter

Ayako Lawrence says former US President Donald Trump inspired her to join politics. Photo: AFP 

The Sanseito party believes in banning foreign workers and immigrants. File photo: Bloomberg

Ayako Lawrence, of Sanseito, says the right-wing party will be stronger by the time the next election comes around. Photo: Twitter

Ishiba’s last stand? Japan’s LDP in turmoil as Sanseito surge erodes PM’s grip on power

Supporters of Japan’s Sanseito party attend a rally in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reacts at the Liberal Democratic Party’s headquarters in Tokyo on Sunday as the results of the House of Councillors election came in. Photo: Kyodo

Sanae Takaichi speaks before an LDP run-off election in September last year. The ex-economic security minister has been positioning herself as a possible successor to Ishiba. Photo: AP

Taro Aso (right) meets Donald Trump in April last year. The former Japanese prime minister has added his voice to the growing calls for change at the top of the LDP. Photo: AP

Supporters of Japan’s far-right Sanseito party attend a rally in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Sohei Kamiya, head of the Sanseito party, reacts during a media interview in Tokyo on Sunday. Photo: Kyodo

In Japan, pachinko sector’s crisis deepens with arrests over vote-buying claims

A pachinko parlour in Asakusa, Japan. Pachinko’s popularity has declined in recent years. Photo: Shutterstock

Election officials count votes in Tokyo for Japan’s upper house election on July 20. Offering to pay for a vote is a breach of the Public Offices Election Law. Photo: Kyodo

A woman walks in front of a pachinko parlour in Tokyo. Pachinko is a variant of pinball that is played on a vertical screen. Photo: AFP

Japan’s Osaka drops controversial plan to charge foreign tourists special tax

Tourists walk past shops and restaurants in the popular Shinsekai district of Osaka, with the Tsutenkaku Tower in the background, in February. Photo: AFP

Tourists at Dotonbori in Osaka. By 2030, the number of foreign tourists to Osaka is expected to rise to 20 million per year. Photo: Shutterstock

News

Asia

East Asia

The Tesla and SpaceX chief and former Trump adviser has been known to back far-right parties in other countries in the past


The Tesla and SpaceX chief and former Trump adviser has been known to back far-right parties in other countries in the past.


Musk backs Japan’s anti-immigrant rally amid foreigner fears over ‘Japanese first’ policy

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Tesla and SpaceX chief and former Trump adviser has been known to back far-right parties in other countries in the past

The Tesla and SpaceX chief and former Trump adviser has been known to back far-right parties in other countries in the past