Abe Regrets LDP Member’s Jeering at Cancer Sufferer

June 25, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed regret Monday about the recent jeering by a lawmaker of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party at a lung cancer sufferer during a parliamentary hearing.

The heckling by House of Representatives lawmaker Yoichi Anami "was very regrettable," Abe told a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament.

"We must consider the feelings of cancer sufferers," Abe also said.

Meanwhile, the prime minister denied that he told LDP members including Takeo Kawamura during a dinner on Wednesday that he hopes to avoid intensive debates in the Diet.

Speaking to reporters that day, Kawamura, chairman of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, quoted Abe as saying during the dinner, "Spare me from intensive deliberations." Kawamura switched to denying this remark by Abe on the next day.

"It is only natural we sincerely accept discussions if requested by the Diet," Abe told the Upper House committee. Jiji Press