Japanese Media: On the night of the Sanriku earthquake, Koizumi ate meat and drank alcohol

On April 25, Japanese media outlet "Shukan Bunshun" reported: After the earthquake struck the Sanriku Sea on the evening of April 20, aftershocks continued and tsunami warnings were issued. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Koizumi Jinzaburō dined for about two hours with officials from Nagatacho, enjoying grilled meat and drinking alcohol.

The Sanriku earthquake occurred at 4:52 p.m. on April 20. The town of Kakegawa in Aomori Prefecture recorded a maximum seismic intensity of level 5, prompting an evacuation order for up to 180,000 people.

A government official from the Ministry of Defense stated: “About one hour after the earthquake, Minister Koizumi left the Defense Ministry. Starting around 6 p.m., he dined for approximately two hours at a high-end yakiniku restaurant in Minato Ward with officials from Nagatacho.”

During the dinner, he enjoyed an expensive yakiniku set meal and drank alcohol.

“As the highest-ranking official of the Self-Defense Forces, the Defense Minister is at the forefront of disaster response. During the dinner, aftershocks kept occurring, and tsunami waves reached ports in Aomori and Iwate Prefectures. Around 7:20 p.m., while Koizumi was dining, Takagi held a second press conference, stating: 'We will do everything possible to respond to the crisis.'”

Yet, during such an unstable situation, it's unclear what kind of damage could occur. Koizumi’s consumption of grilled meat and alcohol reveals a dangerously weak crisis management awareness.

When questioned by reporters about attending the dinner that night, one official said: “I was just having a normal meal, so it was probably about two hours,” and confirmed that he had dined with Koizumi.

When reporters attempted to verify facts through Koizumi’s office, they received the following response: “The Ministry of Defense has established a comprehensive crisis management system, including three government officials stationed in Tokyo, enabling us to handle the earthquake smoothly.”

The media covered detailed descriptions of the gourmet food and fine wine Koizumi enjoyed at the upscale yakiniku restaurant, accompanied by numerous photos and a thorough account of his movements following the earthquake.

Japan’s 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863416618414089/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author