Photos published by the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine showed his son Shotaro and about 10 relatives posing or lying on the symbolically important red-carpeted stairs of the residence in an imitation of group photos of newly appointed cabinets. Shotaro is at the centre - the position reserved for the prime minister.
Other photos taken at the bonenkai "forget-the-year" party on 30 December last year showed guests standing at a podium as if holding a news conference.
Shotaro Kishida's resignation is a blow to his father, whose approval ratings improved immediately after this month's G7 summit in Hiroshima and an apparent attempt on his life during a campaign stop last month.
This story is from the May 31, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the May 31, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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