Anti-Asian ‘Rage Ranga’ Pauline Hanson’s Soft Spot For Japan
Populist politicians are on the ascendency across the globe. Japan is heading to the polls with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who can probably be called a populist, tapping into strong anti-foreigner sentiment to give her Liberal Democratic Party its traditional grip on power. Joining demagogues like Trump, Farage, Le Pen, Wilders and Milei is Australia’s own “rage ranga” Pauline Hanson, whose political fortunes have taken an astonishing turn. Before going forward, a bit of disclosure: I despise the right-wing form of demagoguery spreading around the world, but lean toward populism on the opposite side of the political spectrum. I’m an angry, fearful old man. That makes me a prime populist…