Toda City has a new City Council Member, which may not strike you as the most exciting news, but this is no average Japanese politician. This is the infamous Mr Makoto Nishimoto, more commonly known by his preferred professional name of Super Crazy Kun.

Saitama Prefecture’s recently elected official spends most of his time working as musician, and has released songs like ‘Crazy Sex’ and ‘Summer Bitch’. His style is decidedly counter culture, sporting blonde hair and a tailored Japanese biker jacket which he claims cost around £1,400. Super Crazy comes from a Yakuza family and spent some time in a juvenile detention center himself. Add in this unorthodox politician’s tattoos and playboy attitude and you can see why he doesn’t fit in too well with his peers.

Experience in Politics

Super Crazy Kun didn’t appear from nowhere. He was actually a contender in the Tokyo election back in July last year alongside some other odd candidates. His slogan at the time was ‘Me or the current governor’, he spent time singing on the streets to gather support, and his election posters showed him with a teddy bear.  Unsurprisingly he didn’t come close to being chosen as Governor of Japan’s capital city, being convincingly beaten by Yuriko Koike who took in about 3,650,000 more votes.

Victory in Saitama

He may have been defeated in Tokyo but Super Crazy Kun clearly wasn’t demoralised, and when he saw the chance to participate in the upcoming election in Toda, Saitama, he revived his campaign. There were significantly fewer live performances on the streets this time, which may have helped his campaign, considering his music doesn’t have the same impact without auto tune.

Toda Council Election had 26 seats available, with just 36 potential candidates so Super Crazy only had 10 opponents to overtake. Through a mix of speeches, dance shows and popularity among the youngest voters the unorthodox politician scraped together 912 votes.

The actual policies supported by Super Crazy aren’t all as bad as his name suggests. He’s promised to reduce the waiting times for children requiring social service, and make stricter laws to protect pets.

There’s a website up detailing this information, but it also has mini Super Crazy Kun heads flying around the screen so it’s not too easy to use. It also has some really confusing online games based on phone apps which were popular seven years ago and claims to be the unofficial official homepage?

There’s already been one victory for the newly elected official though, since he’s received permission to be addressed by his nickname rather than his real name. Still, it has to be a little formal so it may be shortened to Crazy Kun.

Strange Politician for a Strange Time

In the midst of corona emergencies and stressed conversations about the Tokyo Olympics, Japan needs a positive figure to rally around; an unstoppable, positive force ready to work hard to overcome the issues that face the country. Makoto Nishimoto is probably not that hero, but you can’t deny his optimistic power, status quo shaking personality and plain weirdness. For now that might be enough to keep spirits up.

Find him on twitter at @makoto__9999

Image source: @makoto__9999