ジャパンライフ元会長と関係「一切ない」　「桜」名簿隠蔽批判に反論―安倍首相

　安倍晋三首相は２日の参院本会議で、特定商取引法違反容疑で家宅捜索を受けた「ジャパンライフ」元会長が２０１５年の「桜を見る会」に招待されていたことに関し、元会長と「個人的関係は一切ない」と語った。昭恵夫人についても「面識はない」と述べた。社民党の吉田忠智氏への答弁。
　首相は「（元会長と）多人数の会合などの場で同席していた可能性までは否定しないが、１対１のような形で会ったことはない」と主張。元会長が首相名の招待状を宣伝に使っていたとの指摘には、「桜を見る会が企業や個人の違法、不当な活動に利用されることは決して容認できない」と語った。
　一方、内閣府が今年の招待者名簿を５月９日に廃棄していたことに関し、首相は「野党議員の資料要求とは全く無関係との報告を受けている」と説明。同じ日に共産党が資料提出を要求しており、「隠蔽（いんぺい）を図ったのではないか」との野党の追及に反論した。（2019/12/02-17:22）

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday that he has never had personal ties with a dubious figure who was invited to an annual prime minister-hosted cherry blossom party in 2015.
   Abe made the remark at a House of Councillors plenary meeting, as opposition lawmakers suspect that the invitation for the then Japan Life Co. chairman was issued on the recommendation of the prime minister or someone close to him.
   "I can't rule out the possibility of having attended the same meeting (as the person in question), but we have never met in a one-on-one situation," Abe said.
   Abe also denied that his wife, Akie, has been acquainted with him.
   Japan Life was declared bankrupt in March 2018 after collecting hundreds of billions of yen in the pyramid-scheme business. Following the business failure, which affected some 6,800 customers, mostly older people, the police raided the home of then Chairman Takayoshi Yamaguchi and other related locations on charges of violating the specified commercial transaction law. Police investigations are still under way.