When Billyken Kid stepped into the Kawanishi City Council chamber on November 9, he was dressed in a suit and tie like any other newly elected official. The one difference: a gleaming gold wrestling mask covering his face.
According to sources, the 52-year-old professional wrestler is a fixture of Osaka Pro Wrestling for decades. He had just won a seat on the city council in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture following the October 18 election. He didn’t squeak through, either. He topped a field of 37 candidates competing for 24 seats, pulling in 4,040 votes to finish first overall.
His victory immediately raised a question that no council had likely faced before: could an elected official conduct government business while wearing a wrestling mask?
Council representatives from five political groups sat down on November 6 to work it out. Four of the five groups backed the request. The lone holdout raised a reasonable point, noting that Billyken Kid had previously attended meetings without his mask and questioning why it was now necessary. Despite that objection, the council approved the request with conditions attached.
Under the agreement, he must allow officials to confirm his identity by showing his face before entering the chamber. He is also required to wear the same mask that appeared on his election posters and to conduct himself appropriately throughout proceedings.
Billyken Kid sees the mask as more than a visual trademark. “Putting on the mask gets me fired up. It also makes me feel more focused,” he said. He acknowledged there are limits to when the mask is appropriate, saying he will remove it for solemn occasions such as memorial services and funerals.
His connection to Kawanishi runs deeper than the ballot box. Since relocating to the city 16 years ago, he has organized wrestling events and volunteered at children’s facilities, building genuine ties to the community he now represents. He says his goal in office is straightforward: help residents solve their problems.
Recently, professional wrestlers have been trading the ring for public office. Just days before his first council meeting, American wrestler David Morales was elected mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. Morales, who portrays a corrupt politician in the ring under the name “The Commissioner,” won the November 3 election and is set to take office in January 2027.
