Letter from Nikkei Asia's editor: Japan election puts foreign residents in focus

Hello from Tokyo. This weekend, Japanese voters will head to the polls for the upper house election. While inflation and related economic policies have long dominated the agenda, attention is now shifting rapidly toward policies affecting foreign residents. If you're unfamiliar with the upcoming vote, I recommend watching our explainer video featuring a Nikkei Asia editor -- it provides a clear and concise overview.

As I've emphasized many times in this newsletter, Nikkei Asia's mission is to report global news from an Asian perspective. Fulfilling that mission requires a diverse team that transcends borders. Our greatest strength lies in the broad range of team members, not only at our editorial headquarters in Tokyo, but also reporting from across Asia and around the world.

Our deputy editor-in-chief, a New York native, often tells me, "I love Japan." And indeed, the nation's image has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past few decades. There was a time when public signs appeared only in Japanese, and navigating the vast Tokyo subway system felt like an impossible maze for foreign visitors. But through steady efforts to make society more welcoming to the world, the number of foreign travelers and residents in Japan has grown significantly. As a result, major cities like Tokyo have become magnets for top global talent, and Nikkei Asia is one of the many beneficiaries of this transformation.

Now, however, these positive trends may be under threat. According to a Nikkei poll and report, the right-wing populist party Sanseito -- known for its "Japanese First" stance and calls for stricter regulations on foreign residents -- is gaining momentum. This political shift is also fueling a wave of similar sentiment on social media. And, as in many other democracies, misinformation and disinformation are spreading in certain corners of the conversation.

For Japanese organizations to strengthen their global presence, embracing diverse talent is essential. More broadly, with Japan's population decline accelerating, foreign talent has already become crucial to sustaining society. Personally, I'm feeling very uneasy heading into the weekend. At Nikkei Asia, we'll be covering Japan's election in real time through our live blog, and we'll follow up with in-depth post-election analyses. Be sure to log on and stay with us for the latest updates.

My suggested reads

1. Nikkei Asia has long chronicled China's attempts to overcome a U.S. clampdown on its tech sector and build its own domestic chip supply chain. The latest installment looks at the final and most complex piece of that puzzle: lithography machines. This visually rich deep dive explores how companies, the government and research institutions are racing to build the country's own answer to ASML.

2. Chinese consumer brands are grabbing ever more market share in Southeast Asia, particularly in home appliances and cosmetics -- markets once dominated by Japanese and South Korean companies. Our writers explain what's driving their rapid rise.

3. After Thailand began issuing same-sex marriage licenses this year, businesses from tour operators and drag shows to boys' love drama producers are looking to capitalize on the "rainbow economy," with much encouragement from the government. The economic boost from last month's Bangkok Pride parade suggests there may indeed be gold at the end of the rainbow.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Akito Tanaka