ABE FALLS IN POLLS OVER LAND SCANDAL

Tokyo, March 13: Pressure mounted on Tu- esday on Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over a ballooning cronyism and cover- up scandal, as a new poll showed his support at the lowest level since his re- election in October.

Abe and his finance minister Taro Aso have been on the ropes in recent days following revelations that key documents relating to a controversial land sale were doctored before being sent to MPs.

Aso was forced to fend off opposition calls to resign on Monday after admitting his ministry altered 14 sets of documents sent to Parliament. The scandal surrounds the 2016 sale of state- owned land to a nationalist operator of schools who claims ties to Abe and his wife Akie.

The sale was clinched at a price well below market value amid allegations.

AP Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov gestures during a meeting with South Korean head of National Security Chung Eui- yong at the Russian foreign ministry. —