A senior member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party was criticized from inside and outside the party on Friday over his remark the day before that same-sex partners of state guests should not be invited to banquets hosted by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.LDP General Council Chairman Wataru Takeshita later expressed his regret but did not retract the comment, which key members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community have called discriminatory.Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Seiko Noda, a fellow member of the LDP, expressed discomfort with the remark,…READ FULL ARTICLE
