Abe’s leadership in doubt as wife embroiled in cronyism scandal
Tokyo: The name of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s wife has been removed from documents regarding a suspected cronyism scandal, media say, as pressure mounts on the premier and his ally Finance Minister Taro Aso over a possible cover-up.
Mr Abe, now in his sixth year in office, had tried to put behind him questions over the sale of stateowned land at a huge discount to a school operator with ties to his wife, Akie. The issue last year sharply eroded Mr Abe’s popularity.
His ratings rebounded thereafter, but doubts over Mr Abe and his Cabinet have been revived with a series of fresh revelations.
Mr Abe denies favours, school operator chief arrested. He has repeatedly denied he or his wife did favours for school operator Moritomo Gakuen, which bought the land, and has said he would resign if evidence was found that they had.
Former Moritomo Gakeun head Yasunori Kagoike and his wife were arrested in July on suspicion of illegally receiving subsidies. Suspicions of a cover-up could slash Mr Abe’s ratings and dash his hopes of a third term as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Victory in the LDP September leadership vote would put him on track to become Japan’s longest-serving premier. The doubts have also sparked calls for Mr Aso to quit, but the Finance Minister said last Friday he would not step down.
A finance ministry official said 14 items had been altered in the documents after February, when the scandal broke, at the instruction of the ministry’s finance division to match testimony in Parliament.