Japan lawmaker apologizes for calling weekly constitutional meetings 'monkey' business

TOKYO -- An opposition party legislator has apologized after criticizing the weekly meetings of a House of Representatives committee on the Constitution as something that "monkeys would do."

Hiroyuki Konishi, a House of Councillors member for the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), made the comment on March 29 but apologized the following day after coming under fire from fellow politicians.

Konishi's initial remarks came after a meeting of the upper house committee on the Constitution on March 29, when he told reporters, "I don't want to hold (these committee) meetings every week (in the upper house). Holding meetings weekly is what monkeys would do. If we want to discuss the Constitution seriously, then we can't hold meetings every week."

He added about the lower house version of the committee, where meetings are held once every week, "Those people (committee members) aren't thinking about anything. It's barbaric. In the lower house they just read out documents that someone has written."

Regarding these statements, lower house Constitution committee member Kee Miki of the opposition Nippon Ishin (Japan Restoration Party) commented, "I write my manuscripts myself. I suggest he is insulting the lower house committee on the Constitution," and demanded Konishi apologize. Meanwhile, fellow CDP member Masaharu Nakagawa, who serves as leading opposition secretary-general, stated, "I'm not satisfied, either."

On March 30, Konishi told reporters at the Diet, "I understood that it was an 'off-the-record' meeting with everyone, as always. I made an immediate retraction and correction over this off-the-record situation, but I would like to apologize to those who were offended by my remarks and the news reports."

Several news organizations including the Mainichi Shimbun were covering Konishi on March 29. It was an "on-the-record" meeting premised on giving the speaker's name. Around the time of his "monkey" comment, Konishi had said, "I probably shouldn't make off-the-record comments," and "If I said 'monkey,' would it be discriminatory?'" but he didn't retract or amend his remarks. On March 30, Konishi told reporters, "Normally, even if it's off the record, I agree to recording if reporters ask."

(Japanese original by Akiko Kato and Shihoko Abe, Political News Department)