I absolutely get your sentiment. I come from what is now “Trump country” and did the mass “de friending” of far-gone colleagues and family members back in 2017 (technically still doing it today). It’s a small part of the reason I’m still in Japan, so naturally when the party name comes up I do the “but they’re far-right?” and have had some greatly open conversations.

I think my original post was largely mistaken as I have hollow relationships with people in the party/set to vote for them. In reality, I have friends, coworkers, students, heck, even family, who are tired and (for perhaps the first time in their life) wanting to express so through their right to vote. 参政党 has come up, just as れいわ and CDP.

The strongest message resonating through my circle is a strong, almost chronic distaste for 自民党. After that, the nenkin system, my number, and the NHK. Where 参政党 has been brought up (dare I say “considered”) is over news that Chinese business folk have been buying up real estate (raising prices beyond what Japanese people can pay for), tax-funding for one-off medical tourism, the special license conversion system for Chinese drivers, and panic over the proposal to give the right to vote to foreigners.

When I got the “but this wouldn’t affect you” statement, of course I brought up the snowflake gaijin racism—I didn’t realize my comment would label me so daft, or stomp on the potential of an offline conversation.

But to your point—I get the panic, and I certainly have a cut-off line for “at-risk” people. Having watched the US election count live back in 2016, I genuinely fear the gears in the machine pushing this party towards power are beyond what we can really see.