Shinji Ishimaru Changes Stance on “Ishimaru Syntax” from “Keep it Up” to “Don’t Make Fun of It”

Although he lost in the Tokyo gubernatorial election held on July 7th, Shinji Ishimaru, the former mayor of Akitakata City, Hiroshima Prefecture, made a significant impact as a standard-bearer of a new era through his use of videos and social media during his campaign. After his defeat, he appeared on an election special program, where he frequently seemed out of sync with the conversation, gradually shattering his initial image as a refreshing young man.

Amidst this, he has recently changed his attitude regarding the “Ishimaru syntax” being mocked online.

This all started when comedian Ryo Fukawa, after watching the awkward discussion between sociologist Noritoshi Furuichi and Shinji Ishimaru on a Nippon TV election program, tweeted on X (formerly Twitter):

“[Concerned] I wonder if Ishimaru-san can order at Subway.”

This tweet amused netizens, leading to a situation where people began creating similar jokes by comparing it to different scenarios, much like a comedic contest.

When asked about the Ishimaru syntax on the YouTube channel ‘ReHacQ−リハック−,’ where he appeared on the 10th, Ishimaru responded with a smile:

“Rather, it’s great, keep it up!”

He was then proposed a discussion with Shinjiro Koizumi, known for his “Shinjiro syntax”:

“I’m totally up for it.”

He answered immediately:

“I’m serious about the entertainment-ization of politics. It engages everyone’s interest, and politicians respond to that.”

He explained the reason.

On the TV Asahi program ‘Good! Morning’ aired on the 11th, Ishimaru was asked about the Ishimaru syntax:

“It’s super funny, isn’t it?”

He burst into laughter.

“Maybe I’ll go to Subway afterward. Should I try it there? Asking, ‘What are you talking about?'”

He spoke enthusiastically.

However, in an interview article published on the 18th by “Sports Nippon,” he touched upon the fact that his conversation with Furuichi had become a topic of mockery:

“Some parts of my exchanges have been distorted in a humorous way. People who laugh at that probably can’t engage in meaningful debate.”

He had a serious expression.

“For example, when discussing world peace, if there isn’t a clear understanding of what peace is, the discussion won’t align.”

He said.

“In work and debate as well, everything needs to be in order for the conversation to make sense. I think mocking it is a bad trend.”

He appealed to the audience. 

The person who had been saying “Keep making jokes about it!” suddenly started saying, “Mocking it is not good.” Even TV station personnel are:

“Two weeks have passed since the gubernatorial election, and we still have no idea who Shinji Ishimaru is.”

They are at a loss.

From the comments on the 10th’s “ReHacQ” to the “Sports Nippon” article on the 18th, eight days passed. What exactly happened?

One thing to note is that on the 12th, Takafumi Horie, known as “Horiemon,” expressed a negative view on the Ishimaru syntax on his X account.

He sharply criticized Fukawa’s post, saying it was annoying. In another post, he wrote:

《If it’s a type of humor that doesn’t hurt anyone, it’s fine, but isn’t it okay to eliminate comedy that belittles or mocks others? Isn’t that wrong?》

《And it’s annoying because they mock and try to take a superior stance over people who have worked hard and achieved results. People who can’t work hard or produce results laugh at that. A society that tolerates this isn’t good after all.》

He expanded on his opinion:

“Shinji Ishimaru and Takafumi Horie have had discussions on YouTube and have built a friendly relationship. While Horie himself denies being a supporter of Ishimaru, it’s clear that Ishimaru considers him a person he wants to stay connected with in the future.

After Horie’s post, on the 14th, Ishimaru appeared on TBS’s ‘Sunday Japon,’ where he also showed a negative attitude, saying, ‘I personally find the “○○ syntax” quite bitter.’ The article in ‘Sports Nippon’ on the 18th contained even more critical remarks, leading to speculation that Ishimaru might have been influenced by Horie’s comments.”

Ishimaru has once again intensified his offensive against major media outlets.

On the 16th’s YouTube program, clearly dissatisfied with his interactions during the election special.

“If I run for governor in four years, I’d be the top candidate, right? Every media outlet would want to cover me. But because Nippon TV took that attitude, I will definitely not grant them any interviews.”

He declared.

“See, it’s troublesome, isn’t it?”

He then announced:

“I’ll give you one more. I will not accept any interviews from TBS either.”

He issued the ban.

“If he’s banned, it’s fine to cover him using other methods. It might be negative content, but he’s not Shohei Ohtani (laughs). What’s scarier is that with his wide range of personas, we have no idea what he’s really thinking” (TV station personnel).

So, where does Ishimaru’s true intention lie?