The opposition claimed that he took advantage of taxpayer money
The son of the Prime Minister of Japan toured cities in cars owned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Prime Minister of Japan with his son.
From the source
Last Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida underwent a very painful questioning from the opposition bloc over a magazine report that his son Shotaro, who is his secretary, went on a trip at the expense of the Japanese taxpayer to see the sights of the countries his father visited on his foreign tour. the last in January.
At a parliamentary committee hearing, Kishida defended his 32-year-old son, saying he bought souvenirs for members of his cabinet on his behalf as part of Shotaro's "official duties" as secretary.
Earlier last month, Kishida visited for a week five G7 countries - Britain, Canada, France, Italy and the United States - hoping to pave the way for a successful G7 summit in his constituency, Hiroshima, next May.
Shopping tour
The newspaper stated that his son visited tourist attractions and went shopping in Paris, London and Ottawa, using an official car of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while his father met his counterparts and carried out other tasks.
The government said there was no problem with the minister using the official car, as Shotaro had bought gifts on behalf of the prime minister.
The Kishida administration added that Shotaro did not enter any tourist facilities.
In his response, Kishida simply said, "As we have heard different opinions, officials should pay attention to their behavior."
Several cabinet members, such as Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Economic Security Minister Sana Takaichi, admitted that they received souvenirs from Kishida after his trip.
The leader of the opposition Democratic People's Party, Yuichiro Tamaki, said at a press conference on Tuesday that the practice of exchanging gifts by prime ministers and cabinet members after overseas trips should be abolished.
Shotaro is the eldest of Kishida's three children. He graduated from Keio University in Tokyo, one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Japan.
He has worked as a secretary in his father's office since March 2020 after he resigned from Mitsui Corporation.
A source close to the prime minister said Kishida was trying to create an opportunity for Shotaro to eventually become his successor, by leveraging his experience on the political scene.
An aide to Kishida said the appointment was "appropriate" given Shotaro's "character and ability".
Kishida's son Shotaro visited the main tourist sites and went shopping in Paris, London and Ottawa, using an official car owned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while his father met with his peers and did other errands.
Critics say that succession politics still prevail in Japan, showing few signs of abating, and that many young people are less interested in becoming representatives because of the series of scandals surrounding politicians.
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