Opposition lawmakers and the nation¡¯s black community were quick to criticize Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Kazuya Maruyama on Thursday after he called U.S. President Barack Obama a ¡°descendant of black slaves,¡± a remark they said bordered on racism and at the very least displayed his ignorance of U.S. history.
¡°His remark can be regarded as an affront to the U.S. president, and could develop into a serious problem that may affect Japan¡¯s diplomatic relationship with America,¡± Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Yosuke Kamiyama told the Lower House budget committee, a venue often used to attack the government.
On Thursday, opposition parties including the DPJ, Social Democratic Party and Seikatsu no To (the People¡¯s Life Party & Taro Yamamoto and Friends) submitted a resolution to the Upper House calling for Maruyama, 69, to resign.
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