Japanese lawmaker retracts past remarks on LGBT, other minorities

Japanese lawmaker Mio Sugita, a parliamentary vice minister for internal affairs and communications, on Friday retracted past remarks she has made against members of the LGBT and Ainu indigenous communities and offered an apology.The member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party had been facing fresh scrutiny for the comments she made several years ago after being appointed to the government post this summer."I take seriously the harsh criticism. Reflecting on my past expressions, which lacked consideration, I apologize to the people I've hurt and hereby retract them," Sugita said at a sess…READ FULL ARTICLE