Japan PM, finance minister under fire over suspected cover-up of cronyism
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his close ally, Finance Minister Taro Aso, faced growing pressure on Monday over a suspected cover-up of a cronyism scandal that has dogged the premier for more than a year.
Copies of documents seen by Reuters showed that references to Abe, his wife and Aso were removed from finance ministry records of the discounted sale of state-owned land to a school operator with ties to Abe's wife, Akie.
Abe, now in his sixth year in office, has denied that he or his wife did favors for the school operator, Moritomo Gakuen, and has said he would resign if evidence was found that they had. Excised references seen by Reuters did not appear to show that Abe or his wife intervened directly in the deal.
Suspicion of a cover-up could slash Abe's ratings and dash his hopes for a third term as leader of his 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 are also putting pressure on Aso to resign.
Moritomo Gakuen is the school at the center of the scandal.
Previously: Land Deal for Nationalist School Linked to Japanese Prime Minister Abe by Critics
Related: Japan's Liberal Democratic Party Wins Election, Could Revise Pacifist Constitution
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Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) coalition has won big in the recent elections and may eventually push for changes in Japan's constitution, although such plans are tentative:
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling bloc scored a big win in Sunday's election, bolstering his chance of becoming the nation's longest-serving premier and re-energizing his push to revise the pacifist constitution. Abe's Liberal Democratic Party-led (LDP) coalition won a combined 312 seats, keeping its two-thirds "super majority" in the 465-member lower house, local media said.
A hefty win raises the likelihood that Abe, who took office in December 2012, will secure a third three-year term as LDP leader next September and go on to become Japan's longest-serving premier. It also means his "Abenomics" growth strategy centered on the hyper-easy monetary policy will likely continue.
[...] The U.S.-drafted constitution's Article 9, if taken literally, bans the maintenance of armed forces. But Japanese governments have interpreted it to allow a military exclusively for self-defense. Backers of Abe's proposal to clarify the military's ambiguous status say it would codify the status quo. Critics fear it would allow an expanded role overseas for the military. Abe said he would not stick to a target he had floated of making the changes by 2020. "First, I want to deepen debate and have as many people as possible agree," he told a TV broadcaster. "We should put priority on that."
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reportedly benefited from tensions with North Korea and is likely to serve as Prime Minister until 2021:
The elections were a result of a risky move on Abe's part. He dissolved the lower house of parliament last month and called for fresh elections a year earlier than scheduled to "face a national crisis" in North Korea. It was a gamble, considering Abe's approval ratings over the past year have ranged from iffy to dismal. One Washington Post headline from the summer read "Japanese prime minister's poll numbers are so low they make Trump's look good." "Abe is personally not that popular of a guy," Hu said. "But after North Korean missiles flew over Japan two times this year, Abe's popularity shot back up."
Also at The Diplomat and Bloomberg. Japanese general election, 2017.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Captival on Wednesday March 14 2018, @02:51AM (3 children)
That's almost the exact same thing Bernie Sanders' wife is accused of. Yet for some reason that isn't even news at 80% of the media.
(Score: 4, Funny) by realDonaldTrump on Wednesday March 14 2018, @04:17AM (2 children)
Shinzo runs one of the world's greatest countries (have you seen their porn, it's amazing!). While Crazy Bernie runs nothing. He runs something, he runs his mouth. I love Bernie but he's not even a hasbeen. He's a NEVER WAS!!!!
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 14 2018, @04:56AM
He's kind of like you in a way, then. I'd never heard of you before you entered the race and suddenly your name was all over the media.
Hate to be the one to break it to you old chum, but outside of the third world states like New York or Alabama, you're kind of a nobody.
Enjoy the spotlight while it lasts, I guess?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by captain normal on Wednesday March 14 2018, @05:32AM
I guess you know quite a bit about cronyism, also nepotism. Are those words too big for you?
When life isn't going right, go left.
(Score: 2) by RamiK on Wednesday March 14 2018, @08:41AM
When a term passes without a minister or ten being thrown to jail for taking bribes.
compiling...
(Score: 1) by noneof_theabove on Thursday March 15 2018, @12:31AM
Supreme Leader United States [SLUS], Cadet Bone Spurs, is not the only criminal running a country, but one of a list.
Little Rocketman
Putin
....