November 14, 2019

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on November 13 at a press conference in the Diet building said that the government decided to cancel next year’s annual cherry blossom-viewing party, but opposition parties will not stop grilling Prime Minister Abe about the recently revealed scandal.

Earlier on the day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide announced that the government will not hold the controversial party next year.

Koike also pointed out that the cancellation decision was made just five days after JCP Vice Chair Tamura Tomoko brought up this issue at a House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting. He stressed that the government decision increased rather than resolved doubts about the use of the cherry blossom-viewing party by PM Abe and Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers for the promotion of their own interests. Koike said that PM Abe has responsibility to respond to questions regarding the allegation.

Koike referred to the threefold growth in the budget for the party which was supposed to be held next year, and said, “This means that the government places special importance on the event. So, it is necessary to hold intensive discussions on the matter in both chambers’ Budget Committee meetings.”

Furthermore, Koike said that in addition to suspicious funding for a reception that the PM Abe’s supporters’ association held every year on the eve of the government-hosted cherry blossom-viewing event, there is an allegation that PM Abe’s political fund management bodies neglected to report the money coming in and going out in regard to the reception. Citing possible charges related to the reception, which include alleged violations of the Public Offices Election Act and the Political Fund Management Act, Koike stressed the need to hold Diet deliberations with PM Abe in attendance.

Past related articles:
> Opposition parties set up team to probe into cherry blossom-viewing party scandal involving Abe[November 12, 2019]
> Tamura criticizes Abe for delighting his supporters with invitations to gov’t-hosted cherry-viewing party [ November 9, 2019]
> Abe allegedly used taxpayers’ money to entertain his supporters [October 21, 2019]