Taro Aso, the vice president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, came under fire for making sexist remarks about Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa's physical appearance during a speech on Jan. 28. Aso initially misidentified Kamikawa and then used the term “obasan,” which has a negative connotation, to describe her. He commented on her appearance, stating that she is not beautiful but capable. After facing backlash, Aso retracted his comments and stated that there were inappropriate expressions in his initial remarks and clarified that he had intended to highlight Kamikawa's achievements as foreign minister. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also emphasized the need to avoid making comments that mock someone's age and appearance, regardless of their gender or social standing.