Mayor Who Supported Crackdown on Illegal Immigration Found Dead in Drainage Channel

Just months after taking office in Ibaraki Prefecture amid growing discussion over illegal immigration and enforcement measures, Shimotsuma Mayor Toyoji Sudo has been found dead in a drainage channel, with police currently viewing the case as a likely suicide.

Shimotsuma Mayor Toyoji Sudo, 67, was found dead during the early hours of June 15 in a drainage channel in neighboring Yachiyo Town, according to Japanese media reports.

Police stated that Sudo was discovered at approximately 12:50 a.m. hanging from a rope attached to a floodgate fence. Authorities began searching for him after his son filed a missing persons report at around 11:15 p.m. on June 14, reporting that he had not returned home.

Investigators currently believe the possibility of a criminal incident is low based on conditions at the scene, though they continue to examine the circumstances surrounding his death.

The death has drawn attention online due to Sudo’s recent election victory and his association with efforts to address illegal immigration in Ibaraki Prefecture, which is often reported as having one of Japan’s largest populations of foreign residents and foreign workers.

Discussions surrounding immigration enforcement in the prefecture have intensified in recent months, particularly after local authorities introduced measures encouraging citizens to report suspected immigration and labor violations.

Following Sudo’s death, Deputy Mayor Hisashi Watanabe was appointed acting mayor. Watanabe stated that city employees were shocked by the news and described the loss as deeply saddening, noting that Sudo had only recently assumed office.

The timing of the incident has fueled speculation online given Sudo was actively working to curb illegal immigration, as politicians in many countries are often dealt with in such a manner for daring to help rectify the immigration crisis.