Kirk here reporting that 2022 has not been a good year for Mr. IDE Nobuo. Just a few years ago (2019) he was made head of the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly:

https://idenobuo.jp/about/

But yesterday he resigned in disgrace after allegedly (according to drive recorder) threatening to kill a taxi driver for making a wrong turn:

Kumamoto prefectural assembly member allegedly threatens to kill taxi driver https://japantoday.com/category/crime/kumamoto-prefectural-assembly-member-allegedly-threatens-to-kill-taxi-driver

This is the same man who was caught on camera violating rules against smoking and drinking at a Koshien high school baseball game:

Local assemblyman caught violating smoking ban at Japan high school baseball game https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220910/p2a/00m/0na/016000c

I read in a Japanese language news article that he had resigned. I think it’s appropriate for him to do so but I can’t help but feel sad for him and his family; it must be hard to fall so far, so quickly.

And, though Ide’s failures are more obvious and make better media fodder than the missteps of others in the prefectural assembly, I’m not convinced that they are the worst. I’m even more concerned by the cozy relations between members and the Moonies (Unification Church). I’ll write more about that some other day.