TOKYO - Japan's defence minister has been
told off after skipping a palace banquet in honour of visiting royals from
Bhutan in favour of a political fundraiser he said was "more
important".
"The palace is holding an event now as
the important Bhutanese king is in Japan," Defence Minister Yasuo Ichikawa
told his audience at the political bash on Wednesday.
"All other ministers have gone there but
I came here because I thought this was more important," he said to
laughter from the audience, television footage showed.
A chastened Ichikawa on Thursday told
reporters the prime minister's right-hand man had been in touch.
"I was told to take strict heed so that
this kind of thing will never happen again," Ichikawa said.
Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck,
a popular 31-year-old Oxford University graduate, and his newly crowned queen
Jetsun Pema have been in Japan all week.
Their visit has been closely covered by the
Japanese media, with television networks following them on every visit and
airing the king's address to parliament in which he spoke of the importance of
measuring happiness, rather than wealth.
Commentators said the speech struck a chord in
Japan where bonds of family and friendship have become more important in the
wake of the March earthquake and tsunami that virtually wiped out several towns
and left 20,000 people dead.
AFP
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