Japan cancels cherry blossom event amid cronyism accusations - King Know

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Saturday, December 14, 2019

Japan cancels cherry blossom event amid cronyism accusations

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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (centre left) posing with entertainers and athletes during the cherry blossom viewing party hosted by the prime minister in 2017Characterize copyright
AFP

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The publicly funded match in a Tokyo park has been operating since 1952

The Japanese authorities has cancelled an annual event held to fancy the blossom on cherry bushes, following allegations of cronyism.

The publicly funded match, honouring the mountainous and the only for his or her achievements, has taken diagram each April since 1952.

However opposition politicians said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe invited too pretty a few his obtain supporters to the ultimate match.

They practice he launched 850 of us from his constituency, 1,000km (620 miles) away.

Whole spending on the match bought proper right here to 55 million yen (£390,000; $504,000) in 2019, up from 30 million yen 5 years in the past.

What is the cherry blossom event?

Cherry blossom, or sakura as a result of it’s identified in Japan, is a gargantuan part of Japanese custom.

The smartly-known pink and white flowers are typically seen for about two weeks within the spring.

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Media captionHow the cherry blossom season boosts Japan’s financial system

People from real by the nation have an excellent time the shiny of the flowers, by visiting parks and consuming explicit blossom-themed meals.

Held at a park smartly-known for its cherry blossoms, the authorities-funded event is meant to honour contributors of the general public for his or her achievements.

Why has it been cancelled?

The top minister has strategy under fireplace from opposition politicians who accused him of bringing in supporters from his constituency in Yamaguchi.

The amount of money spent on the match has practically doubled under Mr Abe’s administration, as has the substitute of firm. Japanese information company Kyodo said about 18,000 of us took part last 12 months, up from 7,000 to 10,000 a 12 months forward of Mr Abe took diagram of job in 2012.

In a shock announcement, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that the authorities had “listened to diversified opinions” and determined to execute subsequent 12 months’s event.

The authorities would “elaborate the elements for inviting firm and abolish the invitation job clear”, he added.

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