Not anymore. Last Sunday, a once obscure far-right party, Sanseito, surged from one to 15 seats in the elections, making them a serious contender in Japan's political scene. With their "Japanese First" slogan, riffing off US President Donald Trump's "America First", they have truly ruffled the feathers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its embattled prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba. For him, the last week was something of a rollercoaster.
In the election, his ruling LDP coalition lost their majority in the upper house of Japan's parliament - having already lost control of the lower house last year - prompting calls for his resignation from his own party.
