TOKYO: The Japanese government violated rules by failing to keep records of discarded lists of guests for controversial annual cherry blossom-viewing parties for fiscal 2013-2017, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Tuesday.

The violation of the rules governing the management of public documents is expected to fuel opposition criticism of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has been under fire for using the government-funded parties for his own benefit by inviting his own supporters.

Under the rules that were effective until fiscal 2017, the Cabinet Office had to keep records of party guest lists it discards, including dates for discarding.

But such records were not kept for guest lists for the five fiscal years starting in April 2013. Abe took office in December 2012. A rule change made such records unnecessary starting in fiscal 2018.

Suga said, "What should have been kept was not kept. The government will take preventive measures,” he said.

He denied the possibility that the guest lists may have not been discarded. Cabinet Office staff members in charge of the guest lists claim that they had been discarded, Suga said.

Jiji Press