A former civil servant in a ward office, he is the founder and former leader of the far-right nationalist group Zaitokukai, known for its anti-foreign messages and public demonstrations which some consider unruly.

It is through this bulletin board he was invited to discuss South Korea in the TV show mentioned above, with himself the only one against the popularity of the country in Japan.

Disturbed by the news and thinking that it could potentially destroy the Japanese pension system, he searched for a political organization fighting against Zainichi rights in Japan, only to find none, which led him to establish the Zaitokukai.

[6] The goals of this group is to abolish special rights towards foreigners, Koreans in particular, on the basis of nationalism, law, and the numerous criminal acts made by the perpetrators.

[7] Sakurai was arrested by Japanese police on June 16, 2013, in Tokyo after an anti-Korean demonstration by Zaitokukai members ended in a fistfight with counterprotesters.

The meeting lasted for only eight minutes, as Hashimoto ultimately left the stage along with his security detail after intense shouting and insulting from both sides.

[citation needed] Aside from his promises, Sakurai criticized the Liberal Democratic Party for supporting Yoichi Masuzoe during the 2014 Tokyo gubernatorial election, only for him to use public money for unnecessary expenses and personal affairs leading to his resignation.

[20] He was running as “a candidate recommended by the Japan First Party.” The public promises that he touted in the election this time had been drastically reduced from the seven in the previous 2016 Metrop gubernatorial elect, and had become three: “Zero Tokyo inhabitant’s taxes and fixed property taxes,[note 3]” “The regulation of Pachinko,” and “The immediate shutdown of welfare for foreign citizens.” About his election campaign after June 18, 2020 (Reiwa Second Year), he was concerned about the impact of the novel coronavirus infection, so he cancelled the conventional street speeches that bring people together outdoors, and he aimed at virtual street propaganda and interviews by web broadcasts.

In exceptional cases, he had carried out protest street propaganda that travelled to the Embassy of China and other places in a way that did not give prior notice so that they did not bring people together.

[23] On the other hand, two people, Shin’ichirō Suda and Yoshikatsu Ikuta, have shown a certain understanding for Sakurai, and have made positive statements.

[24][25] On July 6, an apology for unauthorized use to the person entitled to Sakurai’s street propaganda videos in the Toranomon News (appearances: Ippei Orishima, Tsukasa Jōnen and Kent Gilbert) broadcast on June 24 was made.