After a hard-fought election win last January, 2021 was gearing up to the year of Councilman Super Crazy Kun. Despite his unorthodox fashion for a political candidate, Super Crazy Kun’s novel strategy of campaigning to kids, who in turn had the ears of their parents and grandparents, ultimately earned him a seat on the Toda City Council in Saitama Prefecture.
▼ A Super Crazy Kun stump speech often resembles a street party.
Knowing full well that his dyed hair, tattoos, and clothing associated with Japanese bosozoku (biker gangs) wouldn’t go over with the other members of the council, Super Crazy Kun showed up for his first day in surprisingly sober attire and a serious demeanor to do his job.
Sure enough, not long after winning the seat a ploy was brewing to have his victory declared invalid. A group of “concerned citizens” filed a complaint with the Toda City Election Commission, saying that they suspected Super Crazy Kun had not lived in Toda for the mandatory three months prior to running for office.
As a result, the committee invalidated Super Crazy Kun’s victory on April 9. He denied the accusations, saying that while he frequently traveled to Tokyo to visit his wife and child, his permanent residence had been in Toda since Oct 5, 2020. He also quickly submitted a petition to appeal the decision with the prefectural election committee.
▼ Several Tanabata wishes were seen showing support for Super Crazy Kun.
This led to a three-month in-depth investigation of all Super Crazy Kun’s activities from the end of 2020 to early 2021. “I submitted receipts for utilities and shopping in Toda, but the investigation wanted more than that,” he told the tabloid Friday, “What time I woke up and went to bed, what time I ate, what I ate, and so on. It was like a police interrogation. It didn’t end with me either. They interviewed my wife and friends and secured surveillance footage from convenience stores and gas stations.”
By election rules, the investigation shouldn’t take longer than 60 days, but in Super Crazy Kun’s case it took 80. While understandably nerve-racking, he at least took it as a sign that this wasn’t an open-and-shut case.
Finally, on July 12, the verdict came and Super Crazy Kun wasted no time tweeting it to his supporters.
▼ “The victory has been invalidated. I’m really sorry to all of you who voted in Toda City. Thank you very much. I have nothing but gratitude.”
In their rejection, the prefectural committee cited the fact that Super Crazy Kun didn’t report the “status of his household garbage” nor whether mail was being forwarded from his family’s residence in Tokyo.
When the election win was previously declared invalid, comments tended to be on the fence whether Super Crazy Kun was to blame or simply a victim of being different. Now, however, there seems to be a growing sentiment that he got a raw deal.
“Super Crazy Kun’s election win was invalidated? There’s a shock.”
“There’s a whole lot of other politicians who would lose their jobs if the same rules applied to them.”
“What’s the point of living there for three months anyway? Seems like it would only make it harder for him to win if he wasn’t.”
“He should just cut his losses on this one and focus on winning the next election somewhere else.”
“Why is the burden of proof on him and not the people who accused him?”
“Super Crazy Kun was backstabbed.”
“He still has my support in whatever he does next.”
“I don’t think he can come back from this…”
Super Crazy Kun plans to take his case to the Tokyo High Court. His lawyers admit that the physical evidence supporting his life in Toda is weak, but that could probably be said of anyone living anywhere.
“You have to take a picture of where you are sleeping and keep all your receipts from the convenience store. If you do that, then you are welcome in politics,” said Super Crazy Kun, “I’m worried that the number of people who will get into politics will decrease. I don’t want young people to think that ‘politics is dirty business’ and ‘it’s useless to try.’ I will continue to fight to the people who believed in me enough to give me their vote.”
Having fought his way out of a troubled childhood and into the world of politics, Super Crazy Kun doesn’t seem like the type who will shy away from a challenge and will see this through to the end if he has too. And even if he fails in the upper courts, he will still probably emerge an even more battle-hardened candidate in future elections.
It’s unfortunately the life for politicians that don’t adapt to the norms of their peers and have to work twice as hard to serve their communities. It kind of makes you wonder who among us is truly super crazy.
Source: Friday Digital, Otaku.com, Twitter/@makoto__9999
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- Councilman Super Crazy Kun begins work, but considerably less crazy looking
-- City Councilman Super Crazy Kun’s election victory ruled invalid by commission
-- “Protect the Nation from NHK Party” becomes “Protect the Nation from Old Parties Party”
- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2021/07/14/super-crazy-kuns-election-win-deemed-invalid-a-second-time/
33 Comments
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Cricky
Well he got shafted, by the system. 80 days of investigation? Love this one, didn’t report the “status of his household garbage” I had no idea you have to report the status of my household garbage? Rotten? Smelly?
I will ask city hall for the forms on that one.
bokuda
Japan is dammed to never change.
Do the hustle
Japanese democracy at its finest. He won the election it is his position.
Antiquesaving
Anyone that has been in Japan for any length of time isn't surprised.
I realised how things are over 25 year ago when in a certain Tokyo ward they elected a communist party mayor, swiftly the council made up by a majority of opposition groups had a non confidence vote removed him, a new election was called.
All the opposition parties agreed not to Feild any candidates leaving only the LDP and Communist party candidates with all the parties but communist backing the LDP.
It was amazingly strange for me to see.
The original election had about a dozen candidates the new election had 2.
Well one can guess the communist lost that time.
kyushubill
This is typical. The elite here want dynasty only.
Think back 12 years ago to Takafumi Horie. He turned Japan Inc on its head and that assured the tooth sucking oyaji would come for him. They decried the fact his father was a laborer. Horie went to 2nd tier schools. He did not come up from salary drone.
Their real fear is what the execs at Toyota, Denso, Mitsubishi said, "He will run for political office and change things." So they found a tax loophole to sink him with.
The message has been clear, stay out of our place and know and keep yours. The shogunate mind is still alive: Peasant will never be daimyo.
Cricky
“concerned citizens” ? More than possible short term workers paid by the losing candidate backed by the usual crowd, to derail a democratic election. Now that deserves investigation. Have they reported on the status of their household garbage? would be a good place to start.
dagon
“There’s a whole lot of other politicians who would lose their jobs if the same rules applied to them.”
Japanese politics and bureaucracy excels at the selective application and enforcement of rules.
If you are on the inside you can do no wrong and if you are on the outside...good luck.
Where are the 60 Minute show type muckrakers to expose this obviously crooked election commission?
They only do "exposes" on foreigners being rowdy or not sorting garbage, or young people enjoying themselves during the SOE.
Japanese also excel at "punching down", but will accept any indignity from those on top.
rainyday
Its worth noting that if this option is open for "concerned citizens", then it is also open to Super Crazy Kun supporters to file similar complaints challenging the election of any other councilor who they have reason to suspect may not have adequate evidence to demonstrate that they lived in Toda for the required 3 months.
Just saying in case any of them are listening.
socrateos
Didn't he run for Tokyo Governor last year? I though he was a Tokyo resident.
rainyday
He did. The article should have provided a bit more background like that. He isn't from Toda and just re-located there last year after losing (by a mile, he wasn't a serious contender) in the Tokyo election.
JJ Jetplane
This is crazy. He won a proper and hard fought election; however, because he didn't fit the mold of what they want a politician to look like they vacated his win on ridiculousness? First they challenged his residence. He proved them wrong. Then they vacated it again because he didn't forward his mail properly and he didn't report his garbage? You cannot make something like this up. I am baffled.
Some dude
He should run again, just to annoy the stuck-in-the-mud geriatrics. And he should make his name even more ridiculous for the same reason.
How about “Super Crazy Kun McSupercrazykunface”?
Sven Asai
Of course he belongs the seat he has won in election. I would more question the kind of people who brought someone like him there. lol
igfklin
It is natural that it is invalid because it violated the rules.
If you support this guy, do you also support tachidana or something?
englisc aspyrgend
Talk about an innately corrupt electoral system, they make dictatorships look positively liberal and North Korea should get in touch with them to learn a few tips!
noriahojanen
It's right and reasonable to disqualify him as he has failed to verify his residential status (to meet a minimal 3 month residency requirement for the local constituency). Circumstantial accounts rather confirm his dubious residency or absence.
It's the rule every candidate must comply with. Besides him, several others have also lost the seat, have been disqualified due to the violation. He shouldn't be exceptional.
If seriously seeking career in politics without a fixed home address, he'd have better run for mayoral/gubernatorial positions or Diet for which there are no such restrictions.
igfklin
I am sick and tired of politicians who get elected just for the buzz.
Since he doesn't follow the rules to this extent, we can be sure that he will become a politician who ignores the rules.
gogogo
So they defined what is required to be in office, that benchmark must be applied to all members or they will be kicked out.
Commodore Perry
As an American I can sympathize with this politician who rightfully own the election.
Desert Tortoise
We had a similar situation in our little city. A fellow was elected to the city council by a margin of less than ten votes. He declared his residency in our city the day he filed his candidacy, claiming he lived at a house he bought that day. His candidacy was financed by water and agricultural interest from outside our area who wanted to run candidates who would not seek to restrict agricultural water use. Our region is under a larger mandate to reduce groundwater use to no more than natural recharge and a bunch of pistachio growers from other areas had recently established groves in our valley. With them came their political lobby and the effort to run this guy for city council. The candidate who lost by ten votes filed a complaint with the state claiming the winner lived outside the city. Ultimately that challenge prevailed and the carpet bagger had to resign. But it took two years to accomplish this. In most democracies you have to live in the district you represent in government. That is completely normal. Why would you trust someone who doesn't live in your area to represent your area's interests in the highly competitive environment of a legislature? That is the foundation of these residency rules.
Danielsan
Glad to see that the USA is not the only democracy ruled by a closed, corrupt political machine.
Desert Tortoise
Glad to see that the USA is not the only democracy ruled by a closed, corrupt political machine.
What? The corruption seems to be on the part of a candidate for office who does not live in the geographical district he was running to represent. He lives in Tokyo, not Toda. Citizens filed a complaint and their complaint was upheld. Having recently gone through the same agony locally to get rid of a carpetbagger elected to our city council I can very much appreciate the reasons this guys election was tossed. The system worked as it should. If these processes were not there then you would have people running for office to represent you who never set foot in your district, put there by outside interests.
iradickle
LOL, c'mon "Super Crazy kun"? Really? I'm all for younger people with new ideas trying to dethrone the dinosaurs but ....
gokai_wo_maneku
Just curious, but is "Crazy-kun" his real nme?
Sven Asai
Try hard to guess, if it is Nishimoto Makoto or Super Crazy kun. lol
u_s__reamer
This is but a trivial example of the stacked deck of every democracy. The more the sharp nail needles and pricks the thin skins of the status quo the harder it's hammered down; there is no line the powers-that-be will not cross and "moving the goalposts" for Super Crazy Kun is just for starters.
WilliaminTK
Super Crazy Kun also ran for the Governor of Tokyo Last Year so you have to be a Tokyo Resident to do that.
So I suspect they probably figured that out and even though he won, tried to say he is living in Tokyo. He did win that election and glad he was able to get the younger generation into politics. He will be back and I am sure he will get the win in the next Election! Fight on Crazy Kun!!
Politik Kills
Japan is a constitutional monarchy after all. No democracy here.