Japan PM Kishida sacks son after public outrage over private party at former's residence

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida fired his son as his executive policy secretary after public outrage over a private party held at Shotaro Kishida's residence.

The PM said his son is stepping down to take responsibility for using the prime minister's residence for a private party at which the merrymaking was exposed in magazine photos that triggered public outrage.

Shotaro Kishida, his father's executive secretary for political affairs and eldest son, invited a group of people including relatives to a year-end party on Dec 30 at the Prime Minister's Official Residence.

Photos published by the weekly Shukan Bunshun magazine showing Kishida's son and his relatives posing on red-carpeted stairs in an imitation of the group photos taken of newly appointed Cabinets, with his son at the centre — the position reserved for the prime minister. Other photos showed guests standing at a podium as if holding a news conference.

With PTI Inputs