Shotaro Kishida, son of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, has stirred controversy in Japan for shopping and sightseeing during official trips to Canada, the United States and several European countries while accompanying his father, for whom he works as secretary.
Kishida himself admitted Tuesday that his 32-year-old son had gone shopping during a visit to London to get souvenirs for Cabinet members. «He bought them on my behalf for all the ministers and I paid for them out of my own pocket,» the leader told the Budget Committee of the lower house of parliament.
«Buying this kind of thing on behalf of the prime minister, who is a politician, is included in the duties of secretaries,» Kishida has clarified when asked about the matter.
The prime minister visited France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States between January 9 and 15 to rally support for the G7 summit in Hiroshima next May.
Last week, the magazine ‘Shukan Shincho’ published that Kishida’s son was with him sightseeing in several European capitals and using Japanese embassy vehicles.
However, the government has stressed that «there is nothing inappropriate» in Shotaro Kishida’s performance of his duties as secretary to the head of government.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
