Makoto Sakurai (activist)

Makoto Sakurai

Makoto Sakurai in front of Ueno Station on July 24, 2016, during the 2016 Tokyo Gubernatorial Election
Born (1972-02-15) February 15, 1972
Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Residence Tokyo, Japan
Nationality Japan
Occupation Political activist, politician
Known for Founder and former leader of Zaitokukai
Political party Japan First Party
Website ameblo.jp/doronpa01/ (in Japanese)

Makoto Sakurai (桜井 誠, Sakurai Makoto, born February 15, 1972) is the pen name of a political activist, blogger, and writer from Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. A former civil servant in a ward office, he is the founder and former leader of the "Net right" activist group Zaitokukai, known for its "anti-foreign views and unruly demonstrations", attacked by his enemies and leftist activists.[1] Following his unsuccessful campaign in the 2016 Tokyo gubernatorial election, he founded the Japan First Party in August 2016 and is currently the party's leader.

Name

Sakurai refers to himself as "Makoto Sakurai" in public and publishes under the same name. It has been speculated that his real name may be "Makoto Kimura" (木村誠), as he was introduced as such when he first appeared on television, on the show Jene Jan (ジェネジャン) in January 2005.[2] However on May 10th 2017, he tweeted a picture of a document pertaining to the Tokyo Gubernatorial Election with his real name "Makoto Takata (髙田誠), along with his pen name that he is known as written on it.[3]

Activism

Online presence

Sakurai maintains an online presence under the username "Doronpa" and similar variations. He is currently active on his blog, Twitter, and TwitCasting accounts.

While Sakurai was a civil servant, he started gaining interest in South Korea through the Internet, and came to the conclusion that "South Korea is a rare country that one hates as they learn more and more about it" (韓国という国は、知れば知るほど嫌いになる希有の国).[4] He then afterwards relied on a Japanese-Korean online bulletin board to have thorough discussions with South Korean netizens. It is through this bulletin board he was invited to discuss South Korea in the TV show mentioned above, with himself the only one against the popularity of the country in Japan.

Zaitokukai

On December 2, 2006, Sakurai founded the nationalist political group Zaitokukai, short for "Zainichi Tokken-wo Yurusanai Shimin-no Kai (在日特権を許さない市民の会, Association of Citizens against the Special Privileges of the Zainichi)" and held an inaugural meeting the next month, in response to a TV news report about a group of Japanese citizens supporting Zainichi Koreans' ability to obtain national pensions without making any premium payments. Disturbed by the news and thinking that it could potentially destroy the Japanese pension system, he searched for a political organization fighting against Zainichi rights in Japan, only to find none, which led him to establish the Zaitokukai.[5] The goals of this group is to abolish special rights towards foreigners, Koreans in particular, on the basis of nationalism, law, and the numerous criminal acts made by the perpetrators.[6]

Sakurai was arrested by Japanese police on June 16, 2013, in Tokyo after an anti-Korean demonstration by Zaitokukai members ended in a fistfight with counterprotesters.[7]

Sakurai held a public debate with Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto on October 20, 2014 regarding hate speech. The meeting lasted for only eight minutes, as Hashimoto ultimately left the stage along with his security detail after intense shouting and insulting from both sides.[8]

On November 11, 2014, Sakurai announced that he will step down as leader of the Zaitokukai and leave the group on the 30th of the same month.[9]

Politics

Before contesting to become the governor of Tokyo in 2016, Sakurai had stated numerous times that he would not enter the world of politics. During an assembly conducted by the Zaitokukai on August 30, 2009, in response to a participant's question regarding whether Sakurai would advance into the political world, Sakurai answered that he "would not go as far as setting aside his current life just to advance into the world of politics", denying his intention to run for office.[10] During the debate with Osaka major Toru Hashimoto in October 2014, after receiving an explanation from Hashimoto about the responsibilities of a politician, Sakurai replied that he is not interested in becoming one. When Sakurai announced his intention to step down as leader of Zaitokukai and leave the group, he stated once again he would not be a politician.

Tokyo gubernatorial election, 2016

Following the resignation of Yoichi Masuzoe as the Governor of Tokyo, Sakurai announced his candidacy in June 2016. There was a total of 21 candidates, a record breaking number ever for this position.

Compared to the three main candidates (Yuriko Koike, Hiroya Masuda, and Shuntaro Torigoe), Sakurai received little media coverage during the campaign, along with seventeen other candidates, and he criticized the media in his speeches for the unequal treatment. This criticism got the approval from his rival Mac Akasaka, who was also running for Tokyo Governor. When Sakurai was featured in news coverage, however, newspapers such as Asahi Shimbun[11] and Tokyo Shimbun[12] criticized Sakurai, claiming he took advantage of the election to deliver hate speech. Sankei Shimbun was the only large newspaper to feature Sakurai either neutrally[13] or positively, even going as far as conducting a close reporting in Sakurai's campaign office the moment of the vote counting.[14] The election placed him fifth place, with 114,171 votes or 1.74% of the popular vote.[15]

Sakurai had seven promises for the residents of Tokyo:[16]

  1. Abolish welfare for foreigners[note 1]
  2. Halve the number of illegal immigrants within Tokyo
  3. Create a law banning anti-Japanese hate speech[note 2]
  4. Reinforce taxation on Mindan and Chongryon
  5. Enforce the regulation of Pachinko, a de facto form of gambling, which is illegal in Japan
  6. Cancel the establishment of a new Korean school in Tokyo
  7. Enforce a more compact Tokyo Olympics

He claimed that by fulfilling these promises, money and pride would go back to the hands of the Japanese to better suit the lives of the Japanese people instead of foreigners and foreign countries. This is similar to the views of 45th President of the United States of America Donald Trump and his America First policies. Sakurai's catch phrase was "Japan First" (日本第一・ジャパンファースト).

Aside from his promises, Sakurai criticized the Liberal Democratic Party for supporting Yoichi Masuzoe during the 2014 Tokyo gubernatorial election, only for him to use public money for unnecessary expenses and personal affairs leading to his resignation. Moreover, Sakurai criticized the Japanese people, especially those in their 20's and 30's, who do not vote. He urged everyone to take 20–30 minutes to go to the voting booth to cast their opinion so that there can be change in the politicians themselves, which Sakurai also criticized. He did not beg voters to vote for him; only to cast their votes.[17]

During the campaign, Sakurai received several death threats. The culprits were high school kids, all whom were written up and given warnings.[18]

Japan First Party

Japan First Party
Leader Makoto Sakurai
Secretary Momo Yusura
Deputy Leader (PR) Rei Senzaki
Deputy Leader (Policies) Akira Nagao
Deputy Leader (Discipline, Youth, Women) Ayaka Takahashi
Top Advisor Hiroyuki Seto
Founder Makoto Sakurai
Founded August 29, 2016 (2016-08-29)
Legalized February 26, 2017
Headquarters Tokyo, Japan
Ideology Japanese nationalism[19]
Political position Far-right[20]
Website
Japan First Party Website

On August 15, 2016, Sakurai announced in front of a crowd at the annual gathering to protest the Hantenren in front of Yasukuni Shrine that he would not stop at the Tokyo election, and would create a new political party to prioritize and benefit the people of Japan over foreign powers.[21] After first jokingly announcing the new party name as "Tokyo Terrorist Party" (東京テロリス党), he formally announced on August 29, 2016 the party name "Japan First Party" (日本第一党).

The JFP held its first convention in APA Hotel on February 26, 2017, and Sakurai, who was until then de facto leader, formally became leader of the JFP.[22]

As of April 27, 2017, there are about 1800 party members, but no members of the party in any government office.[23] The same day, Mikio Okamura (岡村幹雄), sitting beside Sakurai, formally announced at a press conference his plan to run for the upcoming Tokyo Prefecture Legislature Election (ja) in July 2017.[24]

Many of the promises from his campaign in the Tokyo gubernatorial election have been included in the policies outlined by the JFP such as the exclusion of foreigners from receiving welfare. The policies include the rewriting of the Japanese constitution from scratch to put the Emperor as the head of state, install a military, and make defense of the country a civic duty.[25]

Publications

All publications are in Japanese and there are no known English translations.

A character named Masato Sakuragi resembling Sakurai is featured in the second volume of fighting comedy manga "Taekwondoer Park".[26]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Foreigners are not allowed welfare as stated in the Welfare Law. Sakurai claims that the current situation does not reflect these laws and that he would make sure Japan follows these laws.
  2. ↑ This is in response to the then-newly passed Hate Speech Regulation Law (June 3, 2016), which regulates hate speech toward foreigners living in Japan. Sakurai would have created a law countering this law to regulate hate speech toward Japanese by foreigners and the Japanese themselves.

References

  1. ↑ Fackler, Martin (2010-08-28). "New Dissent in Japan Is Loudly Anti-Foreign". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  2. ↑ 【在特会・桜井誠】地上波「ジェネジャン」、チャンネル桜のこと＆殺人集団「中核派」に抗議！ (in Japanese)
  3. ↑ Tweet made by Makoto Sakurai May 10, 2017 5:14
  4. ↑ Web archive of "The Meeting with a Certain Korean I Cannot Forget" (忘れられないある韓国人との出会い) (in Japanese), archived 2008-1-4. Retrieved 2016-01-23.
  5. ↑ Makoto, Sakurai (24 September 2014). 大嫌韓時代 [The Anti-Korean Era] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Seirindo. pp. 159–162. ISBN 978-4792605025.
  6. ↑ Sakurai, Makoto (5 December 2006). "在日特権を許さない市民の会　公式サイトへようこそ" [Welcome to the Official Website of Zaitokukai] (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  7. ↑ "8 arrested as groups clash over anti-Korean demonstrations in Tokyo". 2013-06-17. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  8. ↑ McCurry, Justin (2014-10-21). "Japanese ‘hate speech’ debate abandoned as insults fly". the Guardian. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  9. ↑ Osaki, Tomohiro (2014-11-12). "Head of anti-foreigner group Zaitokukai to step down". The Japan Times Online. ISSN 0447-5763. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  10. ↑ "桜井天国言いたい放題！反日政権誕生日8.30在特会special". Nico Nico Douga. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2014. 現在の生活をかなぐり捨ててまで政界に進出する気はない
  11. ↑ Nishimoto, Hideshi (4 August 2016). "「選挙運動の形したヘイトスピーチ」　都知事選巡り課題" ["Hate Speech in the Form of an Election Campaign" Problems Circulating the Tokyo Gubernatorial Election]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Tokyo. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  12. ↑ "在特会前会長が都知事選で１１万票余　「選挙ヘイト」不問か" [Former Zaitokukai Leader gets around 110K votes in the Gubernatorial Election. Will "Election-led Hate" be unquestioned?]. Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). Tokyo. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  13. ↑ "桜井誠氏が激白！「間違ったことはしていない」「来年の都議選に１０～２０人立候補させます」" (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. 2016-07-13. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
  14. ↑ "桜井誠氏「３強の候補に一矢報いることができた」「別の形で運動続ける」" [Sakurai Makoto "I was able to strike back at the 3 strong candidates" "I will continue this campaign in a different form"]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). Tokyo. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  15. ↑ "2016東京都知事選[2016 Tokyo Gubernatorial Election]" (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
  16. ↑ Sakurai, Makoto (2015-06-29). "Makoto Sakurai Announcement of Candidacy Press Interview" (Interview) (in Japanese). Retrieved 2017-01-27.
  17. ↑ Sakurai, Makoto (July 20, 2016). Makoto Sakurai's Campaign at Futakotamagawa (Speech) (in Japanese). Futako-Tamagawa, Tokyo. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  18. ↑ "在特会前会長に「殺すぞ」「ばりきもいねんけど」　ツイッターに書き込んだ高校生ら５人書類送検" (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. 2016-10-26. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
  19. ↑ Wang, Tim; Harris, Johnny (1 June 2017). "Japan's rising right-wing nationalism". Vox. Retrieved 5 June 2017. the nationalist sentiments that his party embodies
  20. ↑ Shaw, Vivian (12 March 2017). "How Fukushima gave rise to a new anti-racism movement". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 5 June 2017. Though only a fifth place ranking, and slightly less than two percent of the popular vote, Sakurai went on to found the far-right Japan First Party the following month.
  21. ↑ The Moment Sakurai Announces New Party. Retrieved 2017-1-23.
  22. ↑ Saigusa, Gentaro (February 26, 2017). "桜井誠氏が日本第一党を結党　「政権を取ったら韓国と断交する」　仇敵、神奈川新聞の石橋学記者に向かって「北朝鮮の批判をしてもヘイトかい？」" [Makoto Sakurai Forms the Japan First Party "If we get the power we will break ties with South Korea" To rival Kanagawa Shimbun journalist Manabu Ishibashi "Is it also hate if we criticize North Korea?"]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). Tokyo. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  23. ↑ "日本第一党　都議選に元日本郵政社員の新人を擁立　結党以来初の公認　移民政策反対、外国人生活保護支給停止など公約" [Japan First Party Supports Former Japan Postal Service Employee Novice in Tokyo Legislature Election. First Official Recognition Since Founding of Party. Anti-Immigration, a Stop to Welfare for Foreigners in Policies.]. Yamato Press (in Japanese). April 28, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  24. ↑ Japan First Party (April 27, 2017). "【2017/4/27】岡村幹雄：日本第一党公認候補予定者発表記者会見【日本第一党】" [(April 27, 2017) Mikio Okamura: Japan First Party Officially Recognized Planned Candidate Announcement Press Conference (Japan First Party)]. YouTube (in Japanese). Japan First Party. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  25. ↑ "日本第一党政策" [Japan First Party Policies] (in Japanese). Japan First Party. August 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  26. ↑ Hak, Masao (January 2017). テコンダー朴２ [Taekwondoer Park 2] (in Japanese). Seirindo. ISBN 978-4792605759.
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