An aide of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga apologized Friday for inviting a dozen lawmakers to the Prime Minister's Office for lunch, a move that sparked a backlash as an improper use of a government facility and sending the wrong message on COVID-19 protocols.
"I will reflect deeply on the ways in which I lacked consideration," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai told a parliamentary session. He also said he will refrain from holding a similar meeting in the future.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a news conference he reprimanded Sakai, instructing him to be mindful that the Prime Minister's Office is a place for government business and to "strictly refrain from actions that would draw criticism."