Fukuoka LDP Assembly Leader Holds Controversial Beer Party After Kumamoto Quake

Matsuo Tōshō, head of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Fukuoka prefectural assembly group, proceeded with a political‑fundraising "beer party" on the night of July 28, hours after the magnitude‑7 Kumamoto earthquake struck. The event, normally attracting about 600 participants and priced at ¥15,000 per ticket, featured a comedy act and was defended by Matsuo as a chance to explain himself amid ongoing allegations of illegal money‑handouts within the assembly. Critics, including Fukuoka Governor Seitarō Hattori, called the timing inappropriate given the disaster response, and local residents expressed outrage. Matsuo maintained that holding the party was the right decision to address the accusations directly, stating it had been “good” for hearing public reaction.