TOKYO - An issue has arisen concerning a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) meeting that featured scantily clad female dancers. Detailed accounts from attendees are shedding light on the situation.
"Dancers Appeared Twice," Attendees Reveal
In November last year, the LDP Youth Division's Kinki Block Conference was held at a hotel in Wakayama City. Two members of the national Diet from the Youth Division and approximately 40 attendees were present. The controversial behavior occurred during the subsequent social gathering.
According to a participant, five female dancers suddenly appeared on stage. A male attendee said, "The music started playing out of nowhere, and they came out. We were all sober and overwhelmed. We were told that tap dancers were coming, so we didn't expect dancers like them."
Q: Were the dancers acquaintances of Councilor Kawahata?
Tetsuya Kawahata, LDP Wakayama Prefectural Federation Youth Division Head: "The dancers were not very familiar to me, but I have known the intermediary for some time."
Q: Was this the first time the LDP hosted such an event?
"It was the first time for the LDP."
Q: What kind of dance was it?
"We understood it to be modern dance or go-go dancing."
Go-go dancing, popular in the 1960s, was expected, but an unforeseen spectacle followed. The male attendee continued, "The dancers appeared twice, changing their costumes." Their outfits revealed more skin the second time around.
Q: Were the costumes lingerie?
Kawahata: "No, they were more like swimsuits than underwear."
The dancers then descended from the stage to the attendees, and one participant reportedly passed a tip mouth-to-mouth. The male attendee added, "Everyone was surprised because they appeared twice. The alcohol also contributed to the excitement. I wondered if such things were acceptable at a gathering of politicians."
Were the Mouth-to-Mouth Tips Distributed by Councilor Kawahata?
Q: Were there participants who passed tips mouth-to-mouth?
Kawahata: "There were."
Q: Were there participants who touched the dancers' buttocks by inserting the tip into their costume?
"That's a bit... I'd need to recall the details."
Councilor Tetsuya Kawahata, who planned the meeting, explained that the theme was "diversity." He said, "This year's theme was diversity. We aimed to raise questions about whether we're truly paying attention to people who live differently or work in various professions. We believe the dancers performed professionally with a strong sense of duty. However, I regret that the excitement, especially towards the end of the social gathering, exceeded my expectations. I should have been more cautious in my selection."
Sources indicate that Councilor Kawahata prepared and distributed the tips. When questioned, he admitted:
Q: Did you prepare the tips?
Kawahata: "It's a bit ambiguous. I prepared some, but some participants also contributed their own."
Q: Were the tips in 10,000 yen or 1,000 yen bills?
"They were in 1,000 yen bills."
Takashi Fujiwara, Director of the LDP Headquarters Youth Division, and Yasutaka Nakasone, Deputy Director, resigned from their positions following the social gathering. Fujiwara said, "I felt something was off during the performance, but since it was arranged by the Wakayama Prefectural Federation, I hesitated to stop it on the spot."
Q: Did you touch the dancers' bodies?
Fujiwara: "I have no recollection of doing such a thing."
Nakasone: "I definitely did not."
Q: If it turns out you did touch them, would you resign as a Diet member?
Fujiwara: "At this moment, my understanding is that I did not touch them. That is my current understanding."
Q: Could your understanding change?
"Basically, no."
Source: ANN
