Abe Eyes No Penalty on LDP Lawmaker under Fire over LGBT Gaffe

September 18, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has indicated that it is not necessary to penalize ruling party lawmaker Mio Sugita, who has come under fire over her recent gaffe on sexual minorities.

"Because she is still young, I want her to continue working while being careful (about what she says and does)," Abe said on television on Monday.

In her article contributed to a monthly magazine earlier this year, Sugita, 51, a House of Representatives lawmaker of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party, argued that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) couples are "not productive" as they do not make children.

"Politicians should make remarks while thinking sufficiently about whether and how their remarks would hurt others," the prime minister said.

Noting that he has no child, Abe said, "My wife and I would feel very sad if we are told that we are not productive." Jiji Press