Jeers, sneers, and even discriminatory remarks in the assembly hall aren't rare in the world of Japanese politics.
But the recent sexist slurs by a ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker that made headlines around the world offer Japan a chance to end this shameful tradition, an expert says.
"There is absolutely no need to jeer during an assembly session using taxpayers' money. Lawmakers are just bored and looking for entertainment," said Kazuhisa Kawakami, a political science professor at Meiji Gakuin University. "We taxpayers find nothing amusing about heckling."
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