TOKYO: Japan’s public safety chief has come under fire for his remark that he enjoyed eel rice so much that he kept eating after his agency informed him of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s narrow escape from a pipe bomb attack two weeks ago.
Koichi Tani, chair of the National Public Safety Commission for Kishida’s Cabinet, told a governing party gathering on Tuesday (Apr 25) that he had the local delicacy in front of him for lunch when the phone rang.
“I was told that we can eat delicious unagi (eel) rice bowl there, and I was really looking forward to it,” Tani told party lawmakers. “Just as I was going to dig into it, I got a call from the National Police Agency saying something was thrown at the prime minister in Wakayama,” Tani said.
“But I fully savoured and finished … my unadon (eel rice bowl),” he said, beaming.
Tani was in the Shimanto area in the southwestern prefecture of Kochi during the attack – about 250km south-west of Wakayama, where a man threw an explosive device at Kishida as the prime minister was about to make a campaign speech to cheer a local governing party candidate. Kishida was unharmed and the suspect arrested.
The attack on the serving prime minister came less than a year after former leader Shinzo Abe was killed while delivering a campaign speech. The assassination investigation found holes in police security and led to reinforcement of dignitary protection. Experts, however, said the attack on Kishida raised questions if any lessons were learned from the Abe case.
Tani’s eel comment immediately sparked criticisms and concern at Parliament and on social media about Japan’s public safety as the country makes its final preparations for the Group of Seven summit that Kishida will host from May 19 to May 21 in Hiroshima. During a parliamentary session, some opposition lawmakers demanded Tani’s dismissal.
Source: CNA
