Very likely the first political scandal of an official throwing their own poo.
While they certainly do exist, you don’t come across too many virulently anti-mask people in Japan. When you do, however, they seem to do it with remarkable panache.
Case in point is Yasunobu Yukumoto, a member of the Akaiwa City Council in Okayama Prefecture. While visiting a health center on 4 November, he was asked by staff to put on a mask while inside the building. This caused him to shout “I don’t need a mask, because I’m not talking!”
Perhaps realizing that he just did the complete opposite of what he said, he then took a page from the non-verbal communication of the noble chimpanzee and proceeded to throw his own feces in anger.
▼ A news report on the incident
However, before you go thinking he has the ability to produce poop on command so that it could be used as a weapon, he was at the medical center to drop off a stool sample and just happened to have it in his hand at the time.
Once again shouting, “I don’t need a mask to drop off a sample,” he hurled it at a nearby desk. Reports are unclear whether or not this compromised the tube and bag holding his waste matter.
After that, the 73-year-old councilman went out to his car, got a mask, put it on, then returned to the building and shouted “These young punks!” at his constituents.
Comments online expressed awe that this man is one of the people who were elected to represent average citizens and make decisions that affect how they live.
“What an a-hole.”
“Seems like he was doing a lot of talking. Should have worn a mask.”
“Office holders should be held to a certain standard, and I’m sorry but throwing stool samples at people does not meet it.”
“I thought he did it during a council meeting and I was like “cool,” but he did it at a health center which is just horrible.”
“Not talking isn’t even a good excuse not to wear a mask. What if he sneezes suddenly?”
“He’ll probably get re-elected anyway.”
“We have gorillas working in city hall.”
As you might expect, the other members of Akaiwa City Council aren’t crazy about being called “gorillas” and are considering a resolution to recommend Yukumoto’s resignation. That would be great, if they hadn’t already done that last September.
That previous resolution calling for Yukumoto’s resignation passed, following an incident where he was accused of speaking in an intimidating way to a member of the cleaning staff of city hall. So, as we can see, this wasn’t an isolated incident and city council resolutions aren’t all that effective.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media, the third-term councilman said, “I always speak in a loud voice. I didn’t mean to intimidate anyone. I apologize.” The glaring omission of poo throwing, however, detracts from the sincerity.
Nevertheless, it looks as if Councilman Yukumoto isn’t going anywhere unless the good people of Akaiwa vote him out. Hopefully, then they can bring in a true representative of the people like the honorable Councilman Skull Reaper A-ji of Oita City.
▼ Councilman Skull Reaper A-ji’s entrance music
Unlike Yukumoto, Skull Reaper first took office in 2013 with an agenda to give council members the right to wear a mask…a wrestling mask, but a mask nonetheless. Although he failed in that regard, he still continues to serve his community tirelessly, setting up athletic facilities for children, disaster relief programs, as well as no-kill animal shelters, all while also doing shows on the side.
So, in conclusion, don’t be like Yasunobu Yukumoto. Be like Skull Reaper A-ji.
Source: Kyodo, Asahi Shimbun, Hachima Kiko
Top image: Pakutaso
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