Purple T-Shirt Group Ishimaru Madams Boosts Shinji Ishimaru’s National Profile Despite Election Loss

“Ishimaru gained prominence mainly through social media during his time as mayor, sparked by conflicts with the city council. He became known for condemning sleeping council members with ‘Know shame, feel shame,’ and for debating local media, which spread widely through clipped videos, earning him the nickname ‘Debate King.’

 

However, while he increased his visibility by boosting views on the Akiota City official YouTube channel, he lacks notable achievements otherwise. The Tokyo gubernatorial election was seen as a promotional event to raise his profile.” 

 

SNS popularity alone doesn’t always translate into votes, but what really made a difference in the election campaign was the volunteer group that swelled to around 5,000 people. At the forefront were the Ishimaru Madams.

 

“They attended Ishimaru’s street speeches wearing purple T-shirts and towels, his signature color, in large numbers. Some of them brought fans like at an idol concert. Many of these ‘Madams’ not only volunteered but also followed him closely after registering as volunteers.” (aforementioned journalist)

A woman in her 40s who came from Chiba Prefecture to participate in the volunteer activities

“I have the day off today, so I plan to attend all the street speeches I can.”

She said. At Ishimaru’s street speeches, many audiences like them gathered, making it bustling every day. On July 6th, the day before the voting day, a woman in her 50s who came alone from Fukuoka Prefecture to support said,

“It’s completely a ‘supporting activity.’ I became a fan after watching Ishimaru’s City Council YouTube videos. His single status is also appealing. He makes us middle-aged women feel like we have to support him. I thought it was strange to come without voting rights, but I wanted to hear his voice in person, so I decided to come boldly. Today, I’m following him all day, and tonight, I’ll meet up with fellow supporters for a drinking party.”

He laughed. When asked, “Do you want him to win the election?”

“Of course, I want him to win, but honestly, either way is fine with me (laughs). I’ll continue supporting him in the future,” she replied.

She said, wiping away the sweat that trickled down her face.