Shinzo Abe's decision to cancel the 2020 Cherry Blossom Festival came after criticism that costs had skyrocketed and were being used for political gain. "I made the decision to postpone the event on my own," Abe told reporters at the Prime Minister's Office.
Held annually since 1952, the spring event was originally intended to honor sportspeople, celebrities and prominent citizens in various fields. However, critics say it has increasingly been misused for political purposes.
Japanese Prime Minister takes photos with guests at the Cherry Blossom Festival
Japan's Asahi Shimbun news site also reported that voters in Yamaguchi prefecture - Mr Abe's constituency - were offered travel packages to go to Tokyo and enjoy river cruises on the festival weekend.
The estimated budget for the event in 2020 is 57 million yen (equivalent to more than 12 billion VND), double the cost since 2014. The government said it considered the criteria for guests and the scale of the event and confirmed that the highest cost was for anti-terrorism measures.
However, after opposition parties announced they would set up a task force to investigate whether public funds were used for private purposes in violation of election laws, Mr. Abe announced the cancellation of the Cherry Blossom Festival in 2020.
The cherry blossom festival at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (Tokyo) in April 2019 welcomed more than 18,000 attendees, an increase of 4,500 people compared to 5 years ago.
The Japanese cherry blossom festival, also known as Hanami, has long been known to people all over the world. It is considered a symbol of renewal, vitality and beauty. Every spring, thousands of people travel to Japan to see the magical sight of these pink flowers in bloom. With more than 1,300 cherry trees planted in a traditional Japanese garden, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in the heart of Tokyo is always the ideal place to see the beautiful cherry blossoms of the land of the rising sun.
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