Kishida removes son as political secretary over party photo controversy
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s eldest son, Shotaro Kishida, will be removed from his position as his father’s political secretary on Thursday, following media reports about a controversial year-end party at the prime minister’s official residence last December.
Images of Shotaro Kishida and relatives having photos taken at symbolically important locations in the residence, including at the staircase used to unveil the last Cabinet as they mimicked members of the political body, surfaced in the media last week. The government had initially reacted by saying that the prime minister had reprimanded his son for inappropriate behavior, but had no intention to dismiss him.
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From Thursday, Takayoshi Yamamoto, a long-term secretary of the prime minister who is currently working as personal secretary in Fumio Kishida’s lawmaker’s office and served as political secretary during the prime minister’s first year in office, will take over the position from Shotaro Kishida.
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The prime minister’s decision to sack his son comes after opinion polls registered a small drop in the prime minister’s popularity, likely due to the media reports.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/05/30/national/politics-diplomacy/shotaro-kishida-politicial-secretary-fired/
Three points:
1. He (Kishida) initially had no intention on relieving his son of his duties until his polling dropped below 50% among the general public. So yeah, he was listening to the public -- but in the context of protecting his own scalp. Though he did claim he gave his son a serious reprimand.
2. His son is another self-entitled relation that seems to plague Prime Ministers. His son used embassy vehicles in the UK, France, and Canada to go on shopping trips and take sight seeing excursions. Kishida tried playing that off by claiming his son was buying gifts for foreign officials and NGOs. Though he never addressed the excursions.
Also, I don't know, but I'd wonder why a French government official would want a gift bought in a French store. I'd think they'd be more pleased to receive something brought from Japan.
3. Unfortunately, these self-entitled losers permeate through Japanese politics like a persistent cancer because their politician parents prepare them to hold elected office. So we get a whole slew of useless, clueless elected officials. Unfortunately, Japanese society, unlike much of Korean society, cannot wean themselves off these parasites