Oddly enough, I’ve had a beer with him. No joke. I was with a group of friends in Chiba (where Sakurada was elected), one of whom is quite connected, and he had told me to wear a tie because some big people would be coming. And within a few minutes of arriving we are all having dinner and drinks, and there is the mayor sitting near me and then Mr Sakurada comes in a bit late and sits right next to me. Turns out he’s a really nice guy. So I have to say I feel sorry for all the crap he’s been getting in the news lately.
