Abe admits involvement in guest selection for cherry blossom viewing party

"deeply reflect". Ah, right...

On top of Abe's 1,000, another 1,000 were recommended by the deputy prime minister, chief and deputy chief Cabinet secretaries. In addition to the LDP's quota of about 6,000, another 6,000 were picked by ministries and agencies to honor their accomplishments.

I'm a bit confused about why invitations for a taxpayer supported event seem to be allocated to only one political party.

Oh no wait, corruption. Its because of corruption. Confusion abated.

12000 people in total??? 12.000 x 5.000 = 60.000.000 yen. And im sure its more than that because the top 1000 will get some special treatment. That's a nice amount to send to Tohoku or Kumamoto or Chiba or or or....

I remember back in the days when the head of our nation was reported to have been involved in corruption cases over and over again, and yet got away with them. That was under the military dictatorship before the 1980s. These kinds of news bring back some old memories :)

Shady business.

How apt that the day he becomes Japan's longest serving PM this comes out.

He is the king of 'yams eigyo'.......shady business.

This right here is what should end this regime. Let's see

Abe had earlier denied his involvement in the guest selection, telling the Diet on Nov 8, "I am not arranging the invitees, although I offer greetings and welcome guests as the event host."

And now his memory recall, "oh yes I did decide who could come to my event! I'm very sorry I lied "again" and been caught. I hope to gain the publics understanding"

Perhaps by putting more restrictions on the media might help.

"I should deeply reflect on how it was managed," Abe said, admitting the guest selection criteria were unclear.

Guess he isnt the seasoned politician that everyone thinks he is! "Unclear?" You are the one who makes the laws and you didnt know?

Please come down here and buy my beach front property!

Man,he has got to go.He is sooooo busted.

Anti-Abe media, opposition parties, JT posters have nothing else left to nail the longest-serving PM of Japan.

Just ridiculous. Shall we move on to more serious issues?

Anti-Abe media, opposition parties, JT posters have nothing else left to nail the longest-serving PM of Japan.

Just ridiculous. Shall we move on to more serious issues?

Damn. I spoke too soon

showchinmono,

Important issues like.....

You mean like not letting empresses in Japan?

You mean like making women wear high heels in the office,

You mean like not allowing women to wear glasses in the workplace,

You mean like spending countless billions of yen on ceremonies that are entirely mythical........

I got you.

It was held at Shinjuku Gyoen. I’m not sure why the information needs to be omitted.

Abe is a charlatan. His involvement in the Kindergarten and vet school schemes and cover ups prove he's corrupt. Now he's admitted to being a liar too - I mean we all know he's told lies, you know like when he told us everything was completely under control when in fact the cores of the nuclear power plant were melting down. Here he's admitted to telling bare faced lies in the Diet.

Abe is part of the problem in Japan. He's part of what is holding this country back. The sooner he and his cronies are all gone, the better.

I hope Abe's government falls just like the cherry blossoms petals.

Looking at who is standing next to him, no big deal.

So for years taxpayers’ money has been used to finance an LDP pleasure jaunt, and this year they even had the gall to inflate the budget requested for it (after exceeding the budget year after year).

I hope the opposition gets its working boots on, calculates how much tax money has been misappropriated over the years, and sees to it that the LDP gets sent the bill.

Big brouhaha about nothing.

The prime minister was allowed to recommend as many as 1,000 guests with his wife Akie also making recommendations, government officials said in parliament.

and PM recommend:

1000

what is the issue?

showchinmonoToday  06:52 pm JST

...the longest-serving PM of Japan.

Not on merit.

OK folks. I also don't feel comfortable seeing some of disgusting guests from entertainment industry. Who the heck decided to invite those garbage!!

By the way, this event has been held basically every year since 1952 by then-PMs of Japan. and then-PM of Japan always has some quota for guests-selection. I feel much more worried the current opposition parties has got nothing else to do other than rushing to Hotel or Kyubeh Sushi struggling for non-existent scandals.

End of Story.

This news are getting redicuolous.

This guy can't do anything not even pick people for cherry blossom viewing... The corruption, the crime oh dear me Koreans must be so upset!

Bearing in mind that the next general elections are scheduled for 22 October 2021. There is still a long way to go before the opposition parties can hope for credible proposals for the people. To be able to form an alternative change of government to the LDP.

Oh my.

I hope Abe's government falls just like the cherry blossoms petals.

After all these years those "petals" are super glued to the trees!

The "cherry trees" have a better chance of rotting out from the inside and falling over than Abe falling like a delicate blossom!

After all these years those "petals" are super glued to the trees!

> The "cherry trees" have a better chance of rotting out from the inside and falling over than Abe falling like a delicate blossom!

best post I've read all day

The prime minister was allowed to recommend as many as 1,000 guests with his wife Akie also making recommendations, government officials said in parliament. 

and PM recommend:

1000

what is the issue?

He was 'allowed' too? By whom? Who gave him permission?

The Sakura wo Miru Kai was supposed to be for 各界で功績、功労のあった方 (people from all walks of life who have performed performed distinguished service or meritorious deeds).

Of the 15000-odd invitees this year, 1000 were recommended by Abe, another 1000 by Aso and other bigwigs and another 6000 by 'the LDP'. Nearly half the invites were to LDP supporters who had done nothing more distinguished or meritorious than vote LDP and apply to attend the sakura-viewing event.

That's one issue.

The total cost was ¥55,187,000 - that's some ¥37,530,000 over budget and over ¥30,000 of our tax money going as a gift to each and every attendee (invites and plus-ones).

That's another issue.

Politicians get dragged over hot coals for handing out paper fans to supporters. A ¥30,000 handout to supporters is way heavier than a paper fan.

The LDP should be made to return every penny spent on entertaining supporters under the cherry trees over the past 6 years.

dougthehead13Nov. 20  11:42 pm JST

There is still a long way to go before the opposition parties can hope for credible proposals for the people. To be able to form an alternative change of government to the LDP.

No, coming up with an attractive manifesto is not the main problem. To present a real threat to the LDP there needs to be one opposition party that is well-funded enough to field candidates that support the manifesto 100% in every constituency election. The major parties in the US and the UK are just about evenly matched, hence frequent changes of government. This is not the case in Japan, with one major party and numerous small ineffectual ones.