"I've never refused drinking sessions" stated by cabinet reporter Makiko Yamada on a clip
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/225964b32d5534df1024cdf804161998b0aed8ac
(Translation begins)
Makiko Yamada who had dinner meeting with Tohoku Shinsha, the broadcasting company where PM Suga's son is working, turned out to have said "I'm a woman who definitely does not reject drinking sessions" on a movie for youngsters last spring. Oppsition parties take it as an issue, and will talk with her in Diet.
The movie is authorized by "Super Education Association"(Chairman: Komiyama, ex-chief of University of Tokyo), and she is taken up as a deputy director-general in ministry of public management. On the clip, she explains necessity of interaction with people with the quote "How many people you've met, and how many challenges you've had are important. If you are invited to a festival or a project, do not refuse definitely, much less drinking sessions. Those who reject them won't be invited more. They will have less chance to encounter hapiness."
According to survey by the ministry of public affairs, she had dinner session on November 2019, when she was the deputy director-general, and fee per person was 74203 JPY. Under PM Abe, she was on duty of secretary of PM as the first female ever since. And now, under PM Suga, she works as the director of the interview of PM as a cabinet reporter.
Opposition parties claim "Fee is too expensive", and demanded that she should attend the committee of budget in the Senate on February 25.
(Translation ends)
I think that her intention about drinking sessions and fee are not important. The biggest issue she has experienced is that she had to tolerate with harassment during the session. For example, she didn't reject "Pocky Game", which is the game that one male eats one end of stick snack and another female eats the other end of the same stick, and finally both of the eaters kiss as a result. She implies such a harassment should also be accepted by younger people.
I don't think she is bravery, even if she does it. Her attitude is just obeying and praising "Strong authority" without any ethic.
