Photo/Illutration A notice on invitation quotas purportedly produced by the Liberal Democratic Party’s Upper House secretariat (The Asahi Shimbun)

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party gave its Upper House members seeking re-election a larger guest quota for this year’s annual tax-funded cherry blossom viewing party in Tokyo.

Critics have said these parties hosted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have taken on a politically partisan nature, considering the growing number of attendees who are supporters of the LDP. The revelation about the use of quotas for guests will likely fuel speculation that the LDP used the event to bolster the chances of its lawmakers in the Upper House election that was held in July.

This year’s party was held in April at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in central Tokyo.

At the behest of LDP headquarters, the party secretariat for the Upper House sent a notice dated Jan. 31 to members of the Diet chamber who planned to seek re-election in July. They were told they could “invite four groups of ordinary people (friends, acquaintances, supporters and others),” according to sources close to the party.

The notice instructed the legislators to submit their lists of invitees via e-mail.

Hiroshige Seko, secretary-general of the LDP’s Upper House caucus who was re-elected in July, acknowledged at a news conference on Nov. 19 that such a notice was sent. He also said it was accepted practice to allow party members facing re-election to “recommend” more groups than usual for attendance at the cherry blossom viewing party.

Those who did not face re-election were allowed to invite two groups each to the party this year.

Seko said he recommended four groups through his office after receiving the notice.

The stated purpose of the cherry viewing gatherings is to honor people for their distinguished achievements.

When Seko was asked if the LDP had used the event for self-serving purposes, he did not give a direct answer.

“There were many lawmakers who were retiring in every election,” he said.

According to the sources, LDP members of the Upper House each year have received a “quota for supporters” for attendance at the cherry blossom viewing party.

But in the years when an Upper House election was held, lawmakers whose seats were up for grabs were allowed to invite more groups than in other years, the sources said.

Upper House elections are held every three years.

LDP lawmakers of the Lower House said a similar quota system existed for their Diet chamber.

“The secretary-general granted my request to invite some people,” said a legislator who previously served as an LDP deputy secretary-general.

An aide to a Lower House member of the LDP said securing the quota was a “big deal” every year.

The acknowledgment of the quotas contradicts earlier remarks from government officials and LDP bigwigs about the cherry blossom viewing parties.

At a news conference on Nov. 11, Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of the LDP, denied that the party was involved in setting special quotas for invitations to members’ supporters.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga at his news conference on Nov. 19 said the government will consider abolishing the quotas.

The outline for the 2019 event said about 10,000 people would be invited, including imperial family members, ambassadors, the heads of the two Diet chambers, Cabinet ministers, prefectural governors and representatives from various sectors.

The actual turnout was about 18,200, including a number of show-business celebrities.

The number of attendees and the costs of the event have continued to grow since Abe took office in late 2012.

Criticism about the nature of the parties led the government to cancel next year’s event.