NationStates Jolt Archive

Wow.

A little background: In 1998 Hayashi put a full kilo of arsenic in a pot of curry at a community festival. She was convicted on four counts of murder and sentenced to be hanged.

Death Row's curry killer to stir up election pot

Notorious curry killer Masumi Hayashi plans to run for next month's Upper House elections from Death Row, screams Shukan Gendai (7/7).

"She's seriously considering running for office. She's got politicians in her family and she's really up on politics. And if she does run for office, she's got a platform to say whatever she likes in public," a pal of the mass murderess tells Shukan Gendai.

Hayashi, like all others running for office, has until July 12 to file her candidacy for the July 29 House of Councillors election. And just because she's on Death Row, doesn't mean she can't stand. Under Japanese law, as long as a conviction is not confirmed, inmates are allowed to run for office. Hayashi's case remains open as she is appealing to the Supreme Court to overturn the death sentence handed down to her for killing four people by poisoning a pot of curry served at a festival in Wakayama nine years ago. Other prisoners have won elections, including late former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, who was serving a sentence for graft, and Wakayama Mayor Takuso Tabita, who retained office in April despite doing time for breach of trust. But a convicted murderer, and a mass murderer at that, has never campaigned from being bars.

Nonetheless, Hayashi is apparently really keen to run.

"She wants to use her experience to comment on things like conditions in prisons, capital punishment and the state of the country's legal system," Hayashi's buddy says. "Running for office is an ideal platform for her. She can say in public whatever she likes."

She contacted an activist group fighting to retain Article 9, the clause in Japan's Constitution that renounces the country's right to wage war now endangered by those keen on revising the basic law. Hayashi professed a desire to retain the clause and offered to run under the group's banner.

"That is a fact," a spokesman for the group tells Shukan Gendai. "But when you consider what our group is all about, we decided not to accept her offer. We sent her a postcard turning it down."

Hayashi's husband, Kenji, who she is also doing time for after being convicted of trying to kill him, also confirms he has heard his spouse is looking to become a politician.

"I was really surprised when I heard she wanted to go into politics. She shouldn't be wasting her time with stuff like that. Now's the time when she should be thinking about her appeal," Mr. Hayashi tells Shukan Gendai. "Mind you, knowing her character like I do, I'm sure that if she did end up running, she'd really give 'em what for." (By Ryann Connell)

June 27, 2007

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/waiwai/news/20070627p2g00m0dm006000c.html

I didn't even know the Japanese let women run for Parliament.

I didn't even know the Japanese let women run for Parliament.
Oh, please. The Japanese aren't anywhere near as restrictive on womens rights as they used to be.

Why am I not surprised? In some jobs, you have a criminal record - you can't get the job. Politicians - doesn't matter if you have one or not, if fact it seems to help in some countries.

So what happens if she's elected and then found guilty a week later? I mean... would they kill off a new leader that soon?

Also, this reinforced my belief that Japan decided to rebuild Japan post-WWII in the style of WTF.

So... we've got two mass murders considering a run (Her and Fujimori) as well as the wingnut granddaughter of Tojo... Well, at least whatshisname, the pro-wresler, decided to drop out.

And Abe wonders why no one takes Japanese politics seriously. :rolleyes:

I was unaware that Japan still utilized capital punishment.

Meh...let her run, it's not like many people are going to vote for a convicted murderer.

Our beloved Zod would prevent such foolishness.

Actually, if we banned people with criminal records from politics - we wouldn't have any pollies!

I was unaware that Japan still utilized capital punishment.
Japan does indeed. It still hangs people, but does so secretly that no one knows about it till well after the fact and even the condemed do not know the hour of their death.

Japan does indeed. It still hangs people, but does so secretly that no one knows about it till well after the fact and even the condemed do not know the hour of their death.

Much like that famous paradox/riddle.

Dead man running.

Japan does indeed. It still hangs people, but does so secretly that no one knows about it till well after the fact and even the condemed do not know the hour of their death.

Hmm, I actually like that, we should implement it in the US.

Hmm, I actually like that, we should implement it in the US.

actually, it's already been done. though the people who die that way don't even go to prison... :D

Huh. She's a regular Eugene Debs. Sort of.

It seems unlikely that any party would actually allow her to run under their banner. Then again, I guess no one has more authority on the state of prisons than someone who is familiar with them.

Hmm, I actually like that, we should implement it in the US.
You might want to read up on it. It's not plesent at all and has been condemed a number of times.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20070408x1.html

Japan does indeed. It still hangs people, but does so secretly that no one knows about it till well after the fact and even the condemed do not know the hour of their death.

So you're saying if she wins, she could be unexpectedly executed mid-term?

Dead man running.

Excellent! :p

So you're saying if she wins, she could be unexpectedly executed mid-term?
Well... depends upon if her appeals run out.

Well... depends upon if her appeals run out.

And if she's elected - I know Japan's nutty, but I doubt Japan's *that* nutty. :p

Well... depends upon if her appeals run out.

I've heard all I need to hear. I endorse this candidate.

And if she's elected - I know Japan's nutty, but I doubt Japan's *that* nutty. :p
This is the same country that elected a pro-wrestler who vowed to never remove his mask as a campaign promise to the same house so...

This is the same country that elected a pro-wrestler who vowed to never remove his mask as a campaign promise to the same house so...

Hm. Well. Maybe, then. :p So did the guy ever remove the mask?

Japan does indeed. It still hangs people, but does so secretly that no one knows about it till well after the fact and even the condemed do not know the hour of their death.

"Do you Masami Hayashi do swear to uphold the office of..."
*Thunk!*
*Crreeeeeeeeeek* (as the rope sways)
"... Shimatta...."

or do you think her first act (should she win) be a motion to pardon herself?

So what happens if she's elected and then found guilty a week later? I mean... would they kill off a new leader that soon?

Also, this reinforced my belief that Japan decided to rebuild Japan post-WWII in the style of WTF.

She's already been found guilty - hence the fact that she's on death row. ;)

So... we've got two mass murders considering a run (Her and Fujimori) as well as the wingnut granddaughter of Tojo... Well, at least whatshisname, the pro-wresler, decided to drop out.

And Abe wonders why no one takes Japanese politics seriously. :rolleyes:

At least Hayashi's running from death row...

Hmm, I actually like that, we should implement it in the US.

So you want to impliment forced confessions, execution before appeals have been carried out, and cruel and unusual punishment? Not very libertarian of you...

This is the same country that elected a pro-wrestler who vowed to never remove his mask as a campaign promise to the same house so...

Close but no cigar. The Great Sasuke was elected to the Iwate Prefectural Assembly, not the Diet. ;)

(For the record, Kanji "Antono" Inoki was the first pro-wrestler elected to public office in Japan.)

I was unaware that Japan still utilized capital punishment.


Pretty aggressively, if I recall.

They continue to use hanging as the means of state execution, and the condemned is not informed as to the date upon which they will be put to death. I read a fascinating article in Foreign Policy on it a couple of years back.

She's already been found guilty - hence the fact that she's on death row. ;)


You know what I meant.

Huh. She's a regular Eugene Debs. Sort of.

James Trafficant :) Gotta love Ohio.

...the condemed do not know the hour of their death.

Sounds like how the rest of us live...

Under Japanese law, as long as a conviction is not confirmed, inmates are allowed to run for office. Hayashi's case remains open as she is appealing to the Supreme Court to overturn the death sentence handed down to her for killing four people by poisoning a pot of curry served at a festival in Wakayama nine years ago.
Japan's criminal system is nonsensical. She is on death row waiting to be hanged but she hasn't been convicted yet?

Japan's criminal system is nonsensical. She is on death row waiting to be hanged but she hasn't been convicted yet?

it says if the conviction is NOT CONFIRMED. (capped for emphasis.)

so as long as she's appealing the death sentence, it's not 'confirmed' it seems.

Japan does indeed. It still hangs people, but does so secretly that no one knows about it till well after the fact and even the condemed do not know the hour of their death.

I was just going to ask you about that. :p

Another reason why I love Japan.

Looks like she's not the only one running. (http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/06/27/fujimori.japan.ap/index.html?eref=edition)

At least Hayashi's running from death row...
Fujimori is running while under house arrest in Chile...

I tell ya, between the current screwy upper house election, Abe and, well, everything, and the heat, I'm faced with a large delema. Either endure Japan's idocy or go home and endure another year or so of Bush.

Dammned if you do, dammned if you don't, ne?

Close but no cigar. The Great Sasuke was elected to the Iwate Prefectural Assembly, not the Diet. ;)

(For the record, Kanji "Antono" Inoki was the first pro-wrestler elected to public office in Japan.)
Damn! I mis-remembered. Hmm... so who annouced he wasn't going to run again due to being disqusted with the LDP?

lol, crazy Japanese.

Oh, please. The Japanese aren't anywhere near as restrictive on womens rights as they used to be.

Wasn't their a big panic a while back because they might have to *gasp* make a woman emperor(ess?) because that rude princess was failing in her "duty" to make male babies?

Wasn't their a big panic a while back because they might have to *gasp* make a woman emperor(ess?) because that rude princess was failing in her "duty" to make male babies?
Not quite, about 70% of the population approved a change in the Imperial Sucsession Law to make Princess Aiko the heir, it was the conservatives and the wingnuts who went into an absolute tizzy fit and proclaimed it would end Japan if they did so.

Think conservatives and gay marriage in the US.

Not quite, about 70% of the population approved a change in the Imperial Sucsession Law to make Princess Aiko the heir, it was the conservatives and the wingnuts who went into an absolute tizzy fit and proclaimed it would end Japan if they did so.

Think conservatives and gay marriage in the US.

Ah.

That's still pretty bad though. The fact that only 70% of the population thought it would be alright for a woman to hold a symbolic position.

"Symbolic Position" would be a good name for a rock band.