Govt Denies Media Report of Kishida Son Sightseeing

Tokyo, Jan. 27 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government on Friday denied a media report that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's eldest son, who is a secretary for him, went on sightseeing using an official car while accompanying the prime minister on a recent overseas trip.

The son, Shotaro, used the car to go take publicity photos for the overseas travel by Kishida, buy souvenirs for political purposes for the prime minister and meet with officials of an international organization and a think tank, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara told a press conference.

Shotaro "did nothing related to sightseeing," Kihara said, adding that he only performed his official duties as a secretary to the prime minister and "did nothing inappropriate."

Shotaro "didn't visit any tourism facility, and didn't do shopping for himself or for his personal purposes," Kihara also said.

Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Shincho has reported that Shotaro used an official car for sightseeing in London and Paris during the travel earlier this month.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]