City Councilor Former Japanese Bosozoku Member Arrested on Sexual Assault Charges... Fall from Grace Just Over 4 Months After Election

Miyazaki Prefectural Police Arrest Nishimoto Makoto Lawmaker
Figure Who Gained Attention at Election as 'Super Crazy Gun'

Known as the "Super Crazy-gun," Makoto Nishimoto (37), a Miyazaki City councilor who gained significant attention both inside and outside Japan for being a former biker gang member and club waiter turned politician, has been arrested on charges of sexual assault. It is particularly notable that he reportedly attended a city council meeting on the same day the victim filed the report, which is expected to cause a major stir in Japanese politics.

Assemblyman Nishimoto Makoto, active under the name "Super Crazy Gun." (Photo by NHK)

On the 6th, NHK reported that Councilor Makoto, who was active under the stage name "Super Crazy-gun," was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting and injuring a female acquaintance. According to Japanese police, Nishimoto is suspected of forcibly dragging a woman in her 30s to his lodging around 4 a.m. on the 3rd and sexually assaulting her. During this incident, the victim sustained injuries including bruises over her entire body, requiring one week of medical treatment.

The woman immediately reported the incident to the police the following day, and Nishimoto was arrested on charges of non-consensual rape and bodily injury. Local assembly members in Japan do not have immunity from arrest. Furthermore, Nishimoto reportedly attended the regular city council meeting in September on the 4th, the same day the woman filed the report, which has intensified the controversy.

Nishimoto is a figure who successfully entered politics by promoting a story of overcoming a difficult childhood, and this case is expected to cause even greater repercussions. He was raised by a yakuza-affiliated father, was active as a biker gang member in his teens, and worked as a club waiter after becoming an adult?an unusual background in Japanese politics that he emphasized during his campaign.

When he ran for Tokyo Governor in 2020, he stirred controversy by campaigning dressed in a blonde wig and a white special attack unit uniform, which was criticized as mocking politics.

He later sought to demonstrate sincerity in his political career by enrolling in the law faculty at Nihon University, studying and engaging in activities, and in April of this year, he won his first term as a Miyazaki City councilor with over 4,000 votes, placing second.

As he was a notable figure at the time of his election even in Japan, Japanese media are currently reporting continuously on Nishimoto’s arrest.

The police are currently investigating the detailed circumstances.