"It Was No Time to Laugh"...Japanese Official Holds Comedy Performance for Hundreds on the Night of Major Earthquake

Supporters' Event Held Immediately After Kumamoto Earthquake

500 to 600 Attendees, Comedian Performance Included

Controversy has arisen as it was revealed that, on the night of the magnitude 7 earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, a local assembly executive from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party went ahead with a political fundraising event attended by hundreds of people according to schedule.

Collapsed house in Hikawamachi, Uki City, Kumamoto. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 30th, Toshiyaki Matsuo, head of the Liberal Democratic Party group in the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly, held a press conference that day and disclosed that he had held a supporters' association event in his constituency, Kitakyushu, on the night of the Kumamoto earthquake on the 28th.

Matsuo explained that the purpose of the event was “to provide direct explanations to supporters amid a series of suspicions of monetary exchanges.” He has recently been embroiled in allegations that he received 500,000 yen from a fellow assembly member under the guise of travel expenses amid a bribery scandal over the positions of assembly speaker and vice speaker.

The event was held at a hotel and combined a policy briefing, dinner with alcohol, and an opinion exchange. The participation fee was 15,000 yen per person (about 130,000 won), with 500 to 600 people in attendance. It was also reported that a comedian performed at the event.

At 4:27 p.m. on the 28th, when the event was held, a major earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of 7.1 struck Kumamoto Prefecture, and even Fukuoka Prefecture experienced shaking equivalent to intensity level 5 minus.

Matsuo stated, "The attendees had already gathered at the event," adding, "I am taking criticism about having proceeded with the event seriously."

Regarding the entertainment performance, he apologized, saying, "In retrospect, it was inappropriate."

However, he added, "The decision to hold the event was made after consulting with supporters," and, "I did not drink alcohol and spent time listening to the opinions of attendees. It was meaningful to hear their candid views firsthand."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.