Former nuisance YouTuber Masahiro Harada, more commonly known as Hezumaryu, was elected for the first time in the Nara City Council election on Sunday. A total of 55 candidates ran in the election, with the 39 seats up for grabs. Harada finished third overall, with 8,320 votes. The 34-year-old received his official election certificate at a ceremony at Nara City Hall on Monday.
‘Get Out of Nara’
Known for his prank videos and for shouting at strangers, Harada said it was he who was yelled at while campaigning, with people telling him to “get out of Nara.” This, though, didn‘t dissuade him from running in the election. Instead of giving speeches on the streets, he decided to campaign on social networking sites and by going around in a campaign car.
Speaking on the day he received his certificate, Harada promised he would do his best not to make mistakes. “I’m getting a lot of attention from the media, and my influence has grown to an astonishing extent,” he said. “Since I’ve received so much support, I want to do my best, so I don’t disappoint people’s expectations.” He added, “I won’t go back to being a nuisance. I won’t ignite firestorms.”
Campaigning as Hezumaryu
Harada’s campaign mainly focused on deer at Nara Park and how they should be protected. He also called for the installation of security cameras and trash cans in the park. His high-profile status as Hezumaryu on social media helped get his message across to large numbers. “In the age of social media, name recognition is what matters,” said XCom Global founder Seiji Nishimura following Harada’s triumph.
Harada is infamous for his YouTube pranks, some of which led to him being arrested. He was taken in for questioning on multiple occasions in 2020 for various misdemeanors, such as attempting to return a T-shirt to a store in Osaka by falsely claiming it was a knock-off brand and laying a futon in the middle of the Shibuya Scramble intersection. He also recently gained attention for loudly shouting at foreign tourists in Nara Park.
