For many years, it has been common knowledge that Japan is the only Group of Seven member that is immune to political populism.

This conventional wisdom is now being shaken up. While public attention was still focused on the aftermath of the general election in Japan, or the U.S. presidential election, a by-election was held for the governorship in Hyogo Prefecture in the Kansai region. Contrary to the expectations of many media reports, the former governor, who had lost his job following a unanimous vote of no confidence by the local assembly over a political scandal, made a comeback.

This unexpected result has raised many questions. How did a politician who lost his job due to scandal get reelected? Were media reports about the former governor's scandal inaccurate? Why did voters sympathize with the former governor or believe conspiracy theories spread by political opponents on social media during the election campaign? And, most of all, has the wave of “populism” and “demagogy” sweeping through Western politics finally reached Japan's domestic politics? The questions seem endless.