Japan has always been a country with numerous political dynasties. For example, Shinzo Abe, the longest-serving leader, was the grandson of a former prime minister and the son of a prominent MP. Abe’s own right-hand man, Taro Aso, also had a prime minister grandfather. And the current boss of the third world economy, Fumio Kishida, is the son and grandson of well-known lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
For all this, it came as no major surprise when Kishida last year appointed his 32-year-old son Shotaro as secretary within his cabinet, with an advisory role. A career lawyer, Shotaro had previously worked at the Mitsui Trading Company.
A few days ago, the Japanese magazine ‘Shukan Bunshun’ published some photos showing Kishida’s son and other relatives celebrating a New Year’s Eve party at the Prime Minister’s official residence. Shotaro and his guests posed in the room where the press conference is held or on some red-carpeted stairs.
Those photos were taken on December 30, coinciding with an internal crisis in Kishida’s cabinet after the resignation of four ministers who were marred by various corruption scandals. In addition, it was not the first controversy starring Shotaro. A few months ago he was reprimanded by opposition parties for using his official position for private activities, specifically for using embassy cars for sightseeing in London and Paris.
After several days with the photos of the party circling all over the Japanese press, Kishida announced earlier in the week that his son would resign as his assistant. That is to say, that he has forced him to resign from his position after having hired him. “His behavior of him in a public space was inappropriate as someone who occupies an official position as a political adviser. I have decided to replace him out of responsibility,” the prime minister explained in statements to the Kyodo agency.
“Of course, the responsibility falls on me. I take it seriously. I want to fulfill my duties by tackling challenges that cannot be postponed and moving forward with determination,” continued the leader, who was coming off a good run, with his popularity rising after hosting the G7 summit and escape unscathed from an attack.
Kishida’s approval ratings rose to 50%, according to Kyodo News, after visiting Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky in Kiev and having two meetings with his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol, one in Seoul and one in Tokyo, where both leaders achieved a historic rapprochement between two neighbors traditionally at odds.
The other parties in Parliament have not wasted the scandal and have charged against the leader. “The appointment itself had a strong element of mixing public and private interests. The resignation is a natural thing,” said Kenta Izumi, leader of Japan’s Constitutional Democratic Party, Japan’s largest opposition party.
Both in the local press and on social networks (where some users have made fun of the fact that the leader’s son has lost his job for “having parties at dad’s house”) it was not amusing that the photos of the party were made public either. de Shotaro in a nearly century-old public building that was formerly the prime minister’s office, until it became the official residence in 2005.
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