New Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Makiko Fujino, the "charismatic housewife" elected in the Sept. 11 House of Representatives election, took heat from her colleagues Friday after she missed a Diet session the day before to make two public presentations on cooking in Fukuoka, officials of the ruling party said Friday.
According to Fujino's office, the two presentations on cooking -- a subject on which she has published numerous books -- had been planned more than six months in advance and Fujino had notified the Lower House she would be absent.
"She should be reminded of the responsibilities that come with being a Diet member," Takashi Sasagawa, acting chairman of the LDP General Council, was quoted by officials as saying Friday.
"Public service must take precedence over anything" else, LDP Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe said later, although he added there were also problems with the way the party had dealt with the issue.
"She wouldn't have attended (the events) if we told her not to go," Takebe said.
"We cannot blame Ms. Fujino alone."
"I heard she talked about such topics as Italian food at the presentations. She got her priorities completely wrong," said Yoshihiko Noda, Diet affairs chief of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan. "She is like a child when it comes to politics."
In the Thursday's Lower House plenary session that Fujino missed, a question session was held over postal privatization bills, the centerpiece of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's reform plans.
Taizo Sugimura, another of the LDP's new recruits, has also drawn flak for voicing hopes last month of dining at swanky restaurants now that he is a lawmaker. He apologized for his remarks in late September.
