Aso Makes 1st Public Apology over MOF Sexual Harassment Scandal

May 14, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso made his first apology in public on Monday over an alleged sexual harassment of a female reporter by former Vice Minister of Finance Junichi Fukuda.

At a Budget Committee meeting of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, Aso said that he "would like to offer an apology" to the victim.

Hit by prolonged public criticism, Aso made the move over a month after the scandal came to light.

Aso apologized after Hiroshi Kawauchi of the major opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan asked if an apology would not be made to the victim. The finance minister added that the ministry has also issued a written apology.

Responding to a question from the CDPJ's Hiranao Honda regarding Aso's earlier remark that there is no such thing as a sexual harassment charge in Japan, Aso said that if the statement caused misunderstanding, he would need to think about how he should phrase things.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that actions and statements that give consideration to the victim are required. Jiji Press