Minister admits ‘Abe’ documents altered
Tmaker Renho, who uses one name.
Opposition politicians have alleged that the buyer of the land—a right- wing operator of private schools—was able to clinch the sale at such a favorable price because of his ties to the Abe family.
The operator had named Akie Abe the honorary principal of the school he was planning to build on the government plot.
Aso said the documents were doctored to be “coherent” with a speech made in parliament by the head of the tax agency Nobuhisa Sagawa, who stepped down on Friday over the scandal.
ministry department that oversaw the land deal, before being promoted last year to tax agency chief.
“It is possible that Sagawa ordered the alterations,” the
newspaper citing government sources.
Adding to the pressure, a fi the scandal was found dead on Friday, although it is not clear if the reported suicide is linked to the affair.
Abe has consistently denied any wrongdoing and vowed to resign if he was found to be involved in the land deal.
But a poll released published Monday in the showed his support dropping by six percentage points from last month to 48 percent, the first reading under 50 percent since he won re-election in October.
Eight out of 10 voters said the government was not responding appropriately to the allegations, according to the survey conducted over the weekend among 1,036 voters.
The allegations have also paralyzed parliament in recent days, with some opposition lawmakers boycotting debates. said,