Japan PM apologises for finance ministry’s doctoring of records
JAPAN’S finance ministry acknowledged yesterday that it doctored documents in a widening scandal linked to the wife of Shinzo Abe, the prime minister, that has rattled his government and caused its support ratings to slide.
Mr Abe apologised on behalf of ministry officials, but did not mention his wife or her suspected role in the scandal. “People are looking critically at the developments, and I take it seriously,” he said, promising to pursue a thorough investigation.
The documents relate to the 2016 sale of state land in Osaka to Moritomo Gakuen, a school operator, at one seventh of the appraised value, with the alleged involvement of Akie Abe, the first lady, who supported the school’s ultra-nationalistic education policy.
An investigation by the ministry showed that the school operator told officials that Mrs Abe encouraged it to proceed with the land deal, and several conservative politicians had contacted the ministry about the school plan, but it was not clear whether they had violated any law.
It said one document originally noted that the school operator was involved with Nippon Kaigi, a powerful pro-abe political lobby, of which Mr Abe was vice-chairman, but that comment had later been deleted.
Taro Aso, the finance minister, said the investigation found 14 altered documents. The changes were made from February to April last year at the instruction of the financial bureau, the ministry department in charge of state property transactions, mostly at its regional unit in Osaka, Mr Aso said.
He said the documents were falsified to match explanations that Nobuhisa Sagawa, an official in charge of the land deal, provided to parliament in response to opposition politicians’ questions. Mr Sagawa was later promoted to chief of the national tax agency. He resigned last Friday to take responsibility for his replies, and another official linked to the scandal reportedly killed himself. Mr Sagawa also acknowledged destroying documents.
Mr Aso denied there had been any political pressure, but declined to disclose where the instructions came from and who was responsible. Mr Abe said Mr Aso would not step down.
In a parliamentary hearing yesterday, finance ministry officials confirmed that a reference to Mrs Abe having recommended the land deal was deleted from a document after the scandal surfaced.
A phrase calling the land deal “exceptional”, as well as the names of several other politicians who were implicated but have denied involvement, were deleted, the ministry said.
Opposition politicians allege political pressure was involved in the land sale, but Mr Abe has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
The conservative newspaper Yomiuri and the public broadcaster NHK both reported declines in support ratings for Mr Abe’s Cabinet in polls released yesterday.
Meanwhile, outside parliament, dozens of protesters demanded the cabinet’s resignation.