LDP lawmaker drank with 30 people despite virus warnings

"I deeply regret attending the drinking party and apologize to people,"

When will these fake apologies be recognized and addressed for what they are?

For Japanese, "giri ninjo" is an unspoken law. If you renegade it, they will become lifetime enemy of you. He thought attending the party was indispensable.

Such reckless behaviour. This is Japan, not the US.

We have a saying "fundoshi wa kaitemo, giri wa kakuna." Do not forget "giri" even if you forget wearing your loincloth.

At 70 getting so drunk at a huge drinking party fell over required an ambulance in the middle of a pandemic. The man facilities for good judgment? I would seriously question And he is a sitting politician? Explains a lot about government decision making.

How deep was the bowing? Did he touch the ground? Were there any crocodile tears also?

I would imagine he made the old puffy cheeked Athony Weiner apology face.

Banqueting and drinking to the point of falling down. Why do I suspect this drunken old fool was an ally of Abe?

"I deeply regret attending the drinking party and apologize to people," the former minister for Okinawa and Northern Territories said in a statement released by his office. He suffered a minor injury and some bleeding, according to the sources.

I used to do this type of nonsense until experience taught me otherwise.

Miyakoshi is destined to return to this plane of existence....again.

Japan has been doing a great job protecting itself from this vaccine. Now is not the time to falter.

A California doctor just recently said it perfectly: "This virus cannot be negotiated with." I will also add, "It cannot be bribed, cajoled, persuaded, befriended or intimidated. It cares not about power or money or ideology."

Stay alert and stay the course. Do not end up like the U.S.A.

Jgovt are bunched up hypocrites while urging you to isolate during holidays...

And, once again, all of us making remarks about Suga and Co. Making these requests to the public and then turning around and going out to parties themselves were proven to be absolutely correct... in only a few hours.

if they are seriously sorry, let them resign and give up their seats. Until then, we know what “Sorry” means for them (“Sorry I got caught”).

Why does he apologise? I would've said: "It's none of your business, you don't even follow our recommendations anyway, so stop being hypocrites"

But hours before, Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto confirmed a magazine report that she held a party with five other people on Dec 17 by fully reserving all the seating at a high-end sushi restaurant.

Gee, that sounds like it was obscenely expensive. Remind me again why the Olympic price tag is now 1.4 trillion Yen?

Suga held a press conference on Friday to ask people in Japan to spend the New Year holiday season "quietly" and avoid large gatherings of family and friends.

But hours before, Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto confirmed a magazine report that she held a party with five other people on Dec 17 by fully reserving all the seating at a high-end sushi restaurant.

In other words, do as I say, not as I do. Exactly what I'd expect though from people who can expect to keep getting re-elected no matter how few scruples or how little common sense they have.

Incidentally think they should come with an expression other than "drinking party" for whatever kind of gathering this is. It sounds like nothing more than an occasion for alcoholics to get smashed.

El RataToday  09:41 am JST

Why does he apologise? I would've said: "It's none of your business, you don't even follow our recommendations anyway, so stop being hypocrites."

Neither did he, so who's the bigger hypocrite?

vanityofvanitiesToday  07:18 am JST

For Japanese, "giri ninjo" is an unspoken law.

Isn't it a social and moral obligation right now to avoid large gatherings?

If you renegade it, they will become lifetime enemy of you.

I suppose that could be bad if he was living it up with thirty gangsters. That wouldn't surprise me actually as this is an LDP good ol' boy we're talking about.

He thought attending the party was indispensable.

Was getting so off his face that he ended up in hospital indispensable too?

Simon Foston

I am introducing Japanese people's mentality to foreigners and not necessarily approving it. For Japanese politicians, attending gatherings in his electoral districts is very important and has become their way of life. Year end, new year, matsuri etc. They do not fail to attend matsuri. They run around all the matsuri in his district during the season and it amounts to 20 to 30 places.

Well, shall we start name shaming ? My ex-boss (big Japanese retailer) posted A photo of his staff party in november. About 40 people on that photo. Not a single mask on. And he regularly posts group photos of him with staff memebers. And still not a single mask oin.

vanityofvanitiesToday  10:42 am JST

Simon Foston

I am introducing Japanese people's mentality to foreigners and not necessarily approving it.

I trust that you don't approve under the current circumstances, especially given that the leader of his own party advised against this kind of thing.

While I don't approve of what he did, I do wonder if there was social distancing and mask wearing enforced on premise, as that would have made a difference. The article doesn't mention that. If there wasn't, then it's not just him or his strawberry picking circus clown of a prime minister who is at fault, but also the establishment for allowing this to happen, and all those constituents for participating in this.

Sorry to most of you, but the real dangerous virus clusters are anywhere else and those people on top of the ladder are not all stupid and know that of course too. As for me, I also go to restaurants and favorite yakitoriya. Not so many people and always the same people there, so there’s less to fear about infections than on the way there by crowded trains , up filled station buildings and the like. Of course, if I get corona you’ll say it’s not abiding to the avoidance of all the drinking and eating place, but the probability is very much higher that it’s all the countless virus outbreathing and sneezing passengers within six meters diameter in the platform waiting lines and crowded commuter trains everyday. Almost sure, that. Anyway, neither you nor I could prove it. So believe what they tell you you have to believe. lol

Shocked? I'm not even surprised. Elderly LDP members clearly act as if they are above it all and the truth is that in Japan they are. If they get caught red-handed then all they have to do is bow, say how sorry they are and regrettable it is that they caused trouble, put on their sad face (like Abe) and all will be quickly forgiven and forgotten.

And yet hardly no deaths, Japan is a magical empire.

So the country's big picture is saved.

Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi, a 70-year-old House of Representatives

These youngsters think they're immortal. What if he infects his elders in the Diet?

When will the people of this country see these politicians for the self-serving, out of touch, fools they are?

Looks like a few too many bottles of Old Regrettable.

@vanityofvanities

It is not Japanese culture to be so inebriated that bodily control is lost or injury occurs.

By not attending functions may keep the virus in check.

More infections cause more chaos

I am staying away from large gatherings at the moment to mainly make sure my income is protected-I can not afford more time off work without pay.

Ah, and people want to be governed. This is yet another reason of many as to why govt must have limitations to trying to rule people's lives.

These fossils are the most susceptible to death from the virus. But anyway, am I supposed to feel sorry for anything that happens to them?

MickeliciousToday  02:25 pm JST

What if he infects his elders in the Diet?

What a terrible thing that would be.