This essay, dated November 20, 2019, continues an article by Yoshiko Sakurai published in Shukan Shincho.
It examines the 5,000-yen fee issue for the eve-of-party reception, the hotel’s business circumstances, the opposition parties’ line of attack, and Prime Minister Abe’s willingness to explain the matter in the Diet.

November 20, 2019.
For the hotel, having several hundred guests stay and dine there is something greatly appreciated, and it would be natural to offer a low price.
The following is the continuation of the previous chapter.
He clearly stated that he would explain it in the Diet.
Mr. Azumi and others take issue with the fact that the Abe support group held an eve-of-party reception, but that the participation fee of 5,000 yen per person was too low.
They insist that it would cost at least “11,000 yen per person,” and bluster that if the difference had been covered by the prime minister’s side, it would be a violation of the Public Offices Election Act.
＊Even if Azumi is a country bumpkin and fool from Ishinomaki High School, he must consider that going any further will only damage the honor and credibility of the people of Miyagi Prefecture＊
Mr. Nagashima also spoke on this point.
“When we hold a party, the fee is 20,000 yen per person, and the food cost paid to the hotel is at most 2,000 to 3,000 yen per person.
For the hotel, having several hundred guests stay and dine there is something greatly appreciated, and it would be natural to offer a low price.
Opposition politicians, including those of the Constitutional Democratic Party, understand this perfectly well.
Nevertheless, they continue to obsess over and pursue minute details because they have elections in mind.”
It is now difficult for both the Constitutional Democratic Party and the Democratic Party for the People to win elections without the support of the Communist Party.
Mr. Nagashima analyzes this harshly, saying that, in particular, the support organizations of young politicians in the Constitutional Democratic Party are almost nonexistent, and that they cannot possibly fight elections without the cooperation of the Communist Party, which has support organizations nationwide.
“I think the Communist Party is more important to the former Democratic Party forces, especially the Constitutional Democratic Party, than Komeito is to the Liberal Democratic Party.”
Even after Prime Minister Abe decided to cancel next spring’s party and review the invitation standards, the opposition side was not satisfied and expanded its pursuit team from an eleven-member structure to three times that size.
Mr. Azumi’s intention to pursue the matter thoroughly can also be read from his criticism of the prime minister’s doorstep interview.
Let us look at “Chairman Azumi’s doorstep comments, reaction to the prime minister’s doorstep interview, November 15, 2019,” on the “Constitutional Democratic Party Diet Twitter.”
The interviews with the prime minister that he took issue with were held twice on the 15th, at noon and in the evening, at the request of the Kantei press club.
At the noon session, when asked, “Will you explain it in the Diet?” the prime minister answered, “If requested by the Diet, it is only natural that I explain.”
As the prime minister was about to leave, a reporter asked, “Will you agree to intensive deliberations?”
At that, the prime minister returned to the reporters and answered, “Of course.”
He clearly stated that if requested, he would certainly explain it in the Diet.
It was not the evasive posture criticized by the opposition.
In the evening, as mentioned above, the prime minister again responded at the request of the press club.
The explanation that lasted twenty-one minutes was reported as being “unusually long.”
On this occasion, the prime minister explained that all costs for the eve-of-party reception and related matters had been borne by the participants themselves.
When the questions stopped, he even prompted them, saying, “Please, any questions?”
Furthermore, after fourteen or fifteen questions, he was asked, “Since there is not enough time today, do you have any plan to hold a press conference at a later date?”
In response, the prime minister said, “If you are going to ask questions, I think it would be better for you to ask them now.”
When a reporter hesitated and asked again, “At another time……,” the prime minister urged, “If you mean holding another press conference, please ask your questions now.”
To be continued.