Japan’s Prime Minister Fired His Own Son After He Held A Party At Their Official Residence And Caused A Controversy
Fumio Kishida said his son’s actions were “inappropriate and I decided to replace him to have him take responsibility.”
Japan’s prime minister has fired his own son after he held a party at their official residence and caused a controversy.
It comes after a local magazine published photos from an end-of-year party hosted by Shotaro Kishida, prime minister Fumio Kishida’s oldest son and his policy secretary.
More than 10 relatives attended the party, and photos showed them posing on the red carpeted staircase at the prime minister’s official residence.
Shotaro stood in the center, where his father had stood, surrounded by relatives.
Other photos show the 32-year-old lying on the staircase and relatives posing behind the prime minister’s podium.
Initially, Kishida apologized for his son’s behavior but said he had no intention of replacing his son, according to the Japan Times.
But on Monday May 29, Kishida announced that Shotaro would be replaced by his personal secretary, Takayoshi Yamamoto, by Thursday.
“As secretary for [the prime minister’s] political affairs, a public position, his actions were inappropriate and I decided to replace him to have him take responsibility,” Kishida said, according to the Guardian.
Shotaro has promised to return his severance pay and end-of-year bonus.
Kishida appointing his son as secretary in October 2022 sparked accusations of nepotism, but some suggested it was his way of training Shotaro to be his successor in parliament, a common process in Japanese politics.
