Charlie Kirk Was Spreading His Conservative Message In Asia Days Before He Was Killed

He besides called connected South Korea, a state of much than 50 cardinal people, to conflict against nan “left-leaning elite” and support itself safe from nan “menace” of nan Chinese Communist Party. Over nan people of his 40-minute speech, Kirk besides mentioned nan country’s birth rate — nan world’s lowest — and said it was up to South Koreans to support their state from “disappearing.”

“It’s not conscionable morally incorrect to not person children,” he said, dismissing wide concerns astir nan country’s rising costs of living, acquisition and housing. “If you look astatine it successful humanities terms, it’s pathetic.”

After South Korea, Kirk near for Tokyo, wherever he has besides steadily gained popularity. He made akin appeals successful Japan, including nan request to summation nan commencement rate, which fell to a grounds debased past twelvemonth successful nan federation of much than 120 million.

He was invited to speak astatine a speech organized by Japan’s far-right party, Sanseito, whose “Japanese first” credo is inspired by Trump’s MAGA movement. The statement made large gains successful nan July precocious location predetermination aft informing astir a “silent invasion” of immigrants.

Previous rallies by nan party, which has grown from a fringe anti-vaccination group to a mainstream governmental force, person called for greater restrictions connected overseas workers and investment. Its leader, Sohei Kamiya, who is sometimes described arsenic a “mini Trump,” has dismissed allegations of xenophobia.

Sitting adjacent to a Sanseito lawmaker, Kirk said he hoped to “invigorate nan group of your awesome federation to support fighting this globalist menace.”

“We’re successful a large conflict against globalism,” Kirk said successful nan video, which was posted by nan statement up of nan event.

Kirk said he was “thrilled” to spot a “growing governmental movement” successful Japan that was “fighting nan aforesaid things we judge in,” telling CNN successful an interview location that if nan state were to person a ample influx of foreigners, “Japan’s not Japan anymore.”

“That’s not xenophobia, it’s communal sense,” he said.

Foreign-born residents dress up conscionable 3% of nan organization successful Japan, acold little than successful nan U.S. and galore different countries. But their number roseate much than 10% past twelvemonth to a grounds of almost 3.8 million, according to nan Immigration Services Agency.

Kamiya said connected X that he was “stunned” and “heartbroken” by Kirk’s death.

“We had promised to meet again astatine his year-end arena and had begun to ideate nan activity we would return connected together,” he said.

“We will grant him successful nan only measurement worthy of his example: by treasuring what we received from him, by telling it faithfully, and by carrying it guardant — present successful Japan and beyond.”