Arab News Japan

TOKYO: OKADA Katsuya, secretary general of the Constitutional Democratic Party (CPJ) of Japan, criticized the Japanese government over its planned state funeral for former Prime Minister ABE Shinzo, and said party’s leadership has decided not to take part in the state funeral.

“The state funeral has not been explained enough to the Diet and to the people,” Okada said at a press conference on Thursday. “There is no clear basis or standard for it.”

Asked by Arab News Japan whether absences from the state funeral would damage Japan’s image, Okada replied: “I don’t mean to advertise our absence on a broad scale, but it’s only natural for the party to express its views. I’m saying this because I was asked about our position.”

Okada also criticized the government of Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio over its members’ connections to the Unification Church cult, saying, “We have strong reservations about that relationship.”

The CPJ said it was up to each member whether or not they would attend the state funeral, but the party’s executive officers decided they would be absent on the day of the funeral, September 27.

The Constitutional Democratic Party appointed Okada as its secretary general following its defeat in the Upper House election last month.

The CPJ has 97 seats in the House of Representatives and 40 seats in the House of Councilors. Total number of seats in both houses are 465 and 248 consequently.