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Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 18:07
Japan to punish officials treated to meals with PM's son
By Bloomberg
Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 18:07 By Bloomberg

Yoshihide Suga, Japan's prime minister, wears a protective face mask as he delivers a policy speech during an ordinary session at the lower house of parliament in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan 18, 2021. (KIYOSHI OTA / BLOOMBERG)

The Japanese government will punish or reprimand 11 bureaucrats after a report said they were suspected of breaching ethics guidelines by accepting sometimes lavish meals with the son of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, public broadcaster NHK said.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s eldest son works for a satellite broadcasting firm that comes under the supervision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where the bureaucrats worked

Penalties will include salary reductions for some of the officials, the broadcaster reported Wednesday. The scandal adds to the woes of the prime minister, who has faced a barrage of questioning in parliament from opposition lawmakers in recent days over the problem as he tries to turn around a fall in support for his government.

Suga’s eldest son works for a satellite broadcasting firm that comes under the supervision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where the bureaucrats worked.

ALSO READ: Japan PM under fire for year-end dinners as virus cases mount

Cabinet Public Relations Secretary Makiko Yamada, who previously worked for the ministry, also accepted a meal that cost about 74,000 yen (US$700) per head, according to a ministry report. She has voluntarily decided to return part of her salary, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said Wednesday.

The prime minister has apologized, while saying that he knew nothing about the meals at the time.

Suga, who boasted some of the highest approval rates on record for a new premier when he took over in September, has seen support battered by a series of scandals, as well as doubts over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. He has little time to restore his popularity before a general election that must be held by October.

READ MORE: Japan PM apologizes after lawmakers' night club outings

Suga’s son has not been charged with criminal wrongdoing and has refrained from public comment on the matter.

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