Kishida Apologizes for Ex-Aide's Anti-LGBT Remarks

Tokyo, Feb. 6 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday apologized for discriminatory remarks about LGBT people and same-sex marriage made by a former aide.

Kishida recently fired Masayoshi Arai as executive secretary to the prime minister over his off-the-record remarks on Friday that he hates to see LGBT people and would hate to be living next to such people.

"It is regrettable that (the remarks) caused a misunderstanding among the public," Kishida said at a liaison meeting of the central government and the ruling camp. "I'd like to apologize to people who were hurt by the remarks."

Also on Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting, "The Kishida administration has always aimed for a diverse and inclusive society."

"It is regrettable that the remarks have created a misunderstanding among the public and I'd like to apologize over the matter," Matsuno, Japan's top government spokesman, added.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]