Land sale a hit to Abe

JAPAN’S finance ministry will admit altering documents related to cronyism allegations against Shinzo Abe, a major blow to the prime minister.

The news will also heap pressure on Finance Minister Taro Aso, who insisted on Friday he had no plans to resign over the affair.

The reports come after a finance ministry official, who was reportedly at the heart of a scandal over the cut-price sale of government-owned land to a close friend of Mr Abe, was found dead and a second key official stepped down.

The ministry will today report that some of the descriptions in the land sale documents were removed before being submitted to MPs.

The scandal, in which land was sold for about 10 per cent of market value, has dogged Mr Abe since it emerged last February, although he remains very popular.