2024-03-13 07:09:26
The issue of inviting female dancers wearing revealing costumes to meetings of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Youth Bureau was also brought up in the Diet.
At the House of Councilors Budget Committee on the 13th, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan member Ayaka Shiomura of the House of Councilors said in response to the organizer’s argument that they had invited female dancers for the reason of “diversity”, “The diversity was due to the costumes.” That’s the way to go.” She criticized the Liberal Democratic Party’s response. (Yusuke Sato)
◆Prime Minister Kishida: “This is not the diversity the Cabinet is aiming for.”
Prime Minister Kishida responding to a question from Fumika Shiomura (front right) of the Constitutional Democratic Party at the House of Councilors Budget Committee (March 13)
Tetsuya Kawabata, a prefectural assembly member of the Liberal Democratic Party Wakayama Prefectural Union (who left the party on the 11th), who organized the meeting, explained the reason for inviting the female dancers: “I wanted to raise the issue of the importance of diversity.”
“Is it consistent with the diversity that the Prime Minister is aiming for?”
Mr. Shiomura asked Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for his opinion on the host prefectural assembly’s assertion of “diversity.”
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida denied the move, saying, “It is completely inconsistent with the diversity that the Cabinet is aiming for.”
◆Bunny, Chinese clothes, courtesan…
Mr. Shiomura then referred to the “service content” of the female dancer’s organization, citing some reports. She quipped that the dancers’ costumes are “various,” citing examples of dancers’ costumes such as bunny, Chinese costume, courtesan, etc.
Also present at the meeting were Takashi Fujiwara, a member of the House of Representatives who was the head of the party’s youth bureau, and Yasutaka Nakasone, a member of the House of Representatives who was acting as the party’s youth bureau chief.
Takashi Fujiwara, a member of the House of Representatives, responds to a reporter’s interview inside the Diet on March 12th.
Regarding Mr. Fujiwara, Prime Minister Kishida explained, “We have received reports that there have been no confirmed cases of inappropriate touching of (the woman’s) body.” He replied, “The meeting happened to include no women among the members present.”
◆Are public funds included?
What Mr. Shiomura repeatedly questioned was whether the meeting in question included “no public funds.”
Mr. Shiomura brought up the fact that the Liberal Democratic Party’s Shiga Prefectural Federation had paid the membership fees for the six local assemblymen who participated, and said, “If the Shiga Prefectural Federation was paying, there is a good chance that public funds were included. “Is that so?” he asked.
Prime Minister Kishida answered that the cost of the meeting was “covered by membership fees from participants, and no expenditures were made from political party subsidies funded by taxes.”
In response, Shiomura countered, saying, “It’s hard to imagine that no public funds are involved in the youth bureau’s projects.”
He said, “If public money was not used, it would have been donations and contributions from the people.” If it was funded by donations, he said, “I support the Liberal Democratic Party that the funds are being used for radical dance gatherings.” Do all of you who do this really think it’s a good thing?” he questioned.
Female dancer issue at Liberal Democratic Party meetingThe Liberal Democratic Party’s Wakayama Prefecture Federation hosted the event last November at a hotel in Wakayama City. A total of 30 to 40 people participated, including Mr. Fujiwara, the head of the youth bureau at the time, Mr. Nakasone, his deputy, and local politicians. Five female dancers participated. Some participants reportedly tipped the dancers from mouth to mouth.
◆“Extremely inappropriate” current cabinet ministers also criticized
The Liberal Democratic Party’s actions have been criticized even by members of the Cabinet.
At a press conference on the 12th, Children’s Policy Minister Ayuko Kato, who is in charge of promoting women’s empowerment, criticized the program, saying, “It is truly regrettable that a sideshow with extremely inappropriate content was planned and held, which caused public distrust.”
He added, “Considering that if women’s participation had been firmly ensured, the production would not have turned out the way it did, I think the LDP’s organization has made sufficient progress in diversity and inclusion. “The issue of the absence of such people is at the root of this case.”
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