Backlash in Japan over Fukuoka officials’ costly overseas ‘research trips’

Officials in Japan’s southwestern prefecture of Fukuoka are facing growing scrutiny over a series of overseas “research trips” that included stays in Paris and London and millions of yen in hotel upgrades, as public frustration builds over political spending during a period of rising household costs. The controversies have put pressure on Governor Seitaro Hattori and the local chapter of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Fukuoka, one of Japan’s most important regional governments…