Takaichi Refers to Attacks on Iran as War, Corrects Later

Tokyo, March 25 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, at a parliamentary meeting on Wednesday, referred to U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran as “senso,” or war, but later corrected it to “sento,” or fighting, after being questioned by an opposition lawmaker. During the House of Councillors Budget Committee meeting, Hiroshi Yamada, a lawmaker of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, addressed concerns on the internet that Japan may be involved in a U.S. war. In response, Takaichi said, “Now the war is ongoing…” After Maiko Tajima of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan asked if this remark accurately reflected the government’s assessment of the situation under international law, the prime minister said, “I would like to replace the expression with fighting.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]