The French prime minister Edouard Philippe has assumed responsibility for spending more than $US400,000 to charter a plane from Tokyo to Paris.
Edouard Philippe Photo: AFP
It has been revealed that his delegation returning from New Caledonia earlier this month changed plane in Tokyo.
Instead of continuing in the military Airbus his delegation flew in a luxury Airbus from Tokyo, with the military plane following near empty.
Mr Philippe defended the charter, saying prime ministerial trips are expensive.
He said his trip was cheaper than the New Caledonia trip of a former prime minister Manuel Valls.