The government has canceled Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's cherry blossom party, scheduled for April 14, due to a rocket launch by North Korea planned for sometime between April 12 and April 16.
The prime minister's cherry blossom party is an annual gathering for hundreds of high-profile guests and celebrities. It was canceled last year as well out of respect for the victims of the March 11 disaster.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told a news conference that cabinet ministers and officials need to be on the alert during that time for the North Korean rocket launch, NTV reported.
© Japan Today
24 Comments
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Seavey
It just breaks my heart to see politicians make such massive self-sacrifices for the sake of scoring political points.
Or is this giving in to terrorist threats?
So now that he is not going to be a the party, is he going to do a henshin and turn 500 foot tall and swat the rocket from the sky? Or can the military not fire their anti-missles without his civilian opinion? Or do they need an order from him and no one but him, and from the hard-line he sleeps next to and not his cell phone?
Pah! This is just a bunch of crap.
rickyvee
where was my invitation?
some14some
what's the weather forecast during this period? occasional showers and windy, my guess !!!
Vernie Jefferies
Oh great.... now my tickets are worthless
warnerbro
These are Japanese politicians, mind you. Safety last is their motto unless there's a quid in it for them. They're not worried about the chain of command or civil defence, but afraid the thing will actually land on the party. And they'd need to find enough school children and have them make those sport day human pyramids over top of each blanket to shield the guests. It was either cancel the party or issue hard hats to all the invitees.
Serrano
This was scheduled for April 14? By then all the cherry blossoms will have been long gone.
DentShop
North Korea gone too far now...
Ranger_Miffy2
What? Nobody could have sent the PM a text message if something was going down? He would not be very far away...too paranoid.
Scrote
The government are acting like a bunch of hysterical buffoons over this missile business. Why does Noda need to be "on the alert"? Signs on the trains say JR are "on the alert" too, but you wouldn't know it. Besides, by the time Noda has made a decision, had a meeting to reach a consensus and asked the LDP for their cooperation, any missile will be long gone.
gaijinfo
This is pathetic. It just shows how desperate the govnt is to create some kind of external threat to take people's mind off the utter and complete ineptness of their "leadership."
government FAIL
just-a-bigguy
So....whats the purpose the US troops in japan is 'defending' for? They were even cant help the Japanese people having a safe and peaceful 'cherry blossom holiday'!
tmarie
Fine by me. Save our taxes and put it to better use. Perhaps if Noda wants to celebrate he can grab a blue sheet and celebrate like the rest of us?! There is no need for such things to be paid for by us. The government and celebs make enough cash that they can celebrate on their own.
tmarie
Oh and yes, wag the dog. Draw attention to this so we can "forget" all the shortcomings!
Michiru Nagasawa George
Why not keep an eye open for the rocket while looking up at the blossoms? Two birds, one stone!
gaijintraveller
If he cancelled his hanami, that tells you how serious the situation is.
moomoochoo
I can understand the concern.
Aqualung
It's a fallout shelter party now.
caffeinebuzz
Haven't the Norks pointed this missile at the Aussies, Indonesians or Phillipines anyhow? My money's on the first two coz they've worked together to smuggle nuclear scientists out of the chubby one's commie paradise
just-a-bigguy
Japan and her ally the US shall never waging a 'pre-emtive strike' on North Korea to stop her missile launchings! Instead they choose ro cancel their 'cherry blossom holiday' to appease the frustration from the Japanese public. Pity~
BessonovYan
If the Government sincerely considers this event dangerous to Japan, then the Government should declare alarm.