Photo/Illutration Sohei Kamiya, leader of Sanseito, during an interview on June 30 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

MORIOKA—For the Upper House election, the rising opposition party Sanseito has pledged to make terminally ill patients cover all medical expenses for their life-prolonging treatments.

“We included it to raise awareness that you cannot die a good death unless you save,” Sohei Kamiya, the party leader, told reporters here on July 8 when asked about his intentions.

In its campaign pledges announced in June, Sanseito cited spending money on “excessive life-prolonging treatments” as a factor that is driving up the country’s overall medical costs.

The party said life-sustaining procedures such as gastrostomies and administering intravenous drips would not be performed, in principle.

At a news conference on the same day, health minister Takamaro Fukuoka expressed a negative view of Sanseito’s plan to make patients pay out of pocket for all life-prolonging treatments.

Fukuoka said the issue of end-of-life care is related to bioethics and requires a national discussion, adding that it should be carefully considered.

Sanseito, which was founded in 2020, advocates a “Japanese-first policy” and opposes what it calls “excessive” acceptance of foreigners.

It also takes a conservative stance on other issues, such as the Constitution, and opposes introducing a system that would allow married couples to use different surnames.

The party gained three seats in the Lower House election in October and three seats in the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election last month.

Kamiya, an Upper House member, told a TV program on July 3 that the party aims to increase its strength from the current two seats to 10 in the July 20 Upper House election.

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