Tachibana Takashi is known in Japan for his ability to make headlines. Not in a good way, sadly. This week, however, he made the news after someone decided to cross the line from political disagreement to political violence. The attack was apparently motivated by Tachibana’s involvement in a scandal in Hyogo Prefecture.
Not a life-threatening injury
Tachibana, the head of Japan’s Protect the People From the NHK party (N国; n-koku), was participating in a demonstration on March 14th, calling for the dismantling of Japan’s Ministry of Finance. As described by NHK, the protestors are calling for no new tax increases and an end to Japan’s consumption tax on goods, which is currently 8% for take-home food and 10% for goods and takeout.
The demos started in December, with interest spiking in February and March. Tachibana was at the scene participating in photo ops with supporters when 30-year-old Miyanishi Shion, an unemployed man living in Tokyo’s Suginami City, attacked him with what appeared to be a 16cm-long billhook-type blade.
The blade struck Tachibana near his left ear. It didn’t endanger his life and he was talking and responsive. Footage shows him walking himself to an ambulance where he received treatment.
NTV reports that Miyanishi told police he’d taken aim at Tachibana for the politician’s role in the scandals surrounding Hyogo governor Saito Motohiko. Saito and his supporters put immense pressure on prefectural officials who had compiled a report leveling charges of financial impropriety and harassment against Saito.
Tachibana had leaked recordings from the investigative committee in an attempt to bolster Saito’s chances of re-election after a no confidence vote chucked him from office. One of the committee members, Takeuchi Hideaki, ultimately committed suicide. Saito was successfully re-elected and is still serving as governor.
Miyanishi said he wanted to kill Tachibana for what he saw as his role in the man’s death. After Tachibana walked away only slightly scathed, the man reportedly said, “Ah dammit, I missed.” Police are holding him on charges of attempted murder.
The attack is the latest incidence of political violence in recent years that includes the assassination of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and an attempted assassination against former PM Kishida Fumio.
Tachibana’s history of shenanigans
Tachibana Takashi is a former NHK employee who decided that NHK’s Broadcast Fee is fundamentally unfair and that the organization is corrupt. He started the Protect The People From The NHK Party, ostensibly, to abolish the national broadcaster. His party took advantage of NHK’s legally mandated time for political candidates to act like fools on air, mocking the station on its own airwaves.
In 2023, Tachibana changed the party’s name to the Female Politicians 48 Party. YouTuber GaaSsy won a proportional seat in the Japan Diet’s Upper House under the party’s banner. He never served a day in office, as he promptly fled to Dubai to avoid defamation charges. He was kicked out of the Diet and eventually returned to Japan, where a court sentenced him to three years suspended.
Tachibana lost control of Female Politicians 48 due to a dispute with party head Otsu Ayaka, leading him to resurrect the N-Koku name. Last summer, he again made headlines when his party ran 30 candidates for governor of Tokyo. That gave Tachibana 30 spaces on the city’s legally mandated election poster boards – which Tachibana sold off to the highest bidders.
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