politics

Scandal clouds darken for Japan's Abe ahead of Trump summit

35 Comments
By Linda Sieg

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"Revelations keep emerging, and I think Abe is in a tough spot,"

No really? How much does anyone want to bet SOMETHING is going to happen, real or otherwise!

The press has their part to play, and if they keep up the hard-line image of Abe, he is going to be sticking around for a while, but if they start finding chinks in his teflon, he'll be gone before the LDP election!

3 ( +11 / -8 )

All secrets become apparent, no villain will escape the blinding light of truth and justice.

16 ( +16 / -0 )

Well he can always quit and hide out for a few years then come back and run for PM again, people are forgiving and gullible. :-/

2 ( +11 / -9 )

Enough is enough!

-4 ( +7 / -11 )

a plan by Abe's friend for a veterinary school in a government-designated deregulation zone was a "prime ministerial matter" and they should work hard to realise it.

Well that's it then. he was directly involved.

Yanase, now a senior official at the Ministry of Economic, Trade and Industry, said in a statement he had no memory of meeting authorities in Ehime prefecture or the city of Imabari to discuss the project.

He was drunk and doesn't remember.

Revelations keep emerging, and I think Abe is in a tough spot," said Tomoaki Iwai, a political science professor at Nihon University.

Fingers crossed, we'll get this scumbag of a PM out of office. To jail him is maybe too idealistic, but if we can boot him out maybe the whole LDP house of cards will come crashing down.

-1 ( +12 / -13 )

PM Abe and Trump will laugh off their so-called “troubles” over mineral waters in Mer-a-Lago Persedential Residence. Two great leaders and very close friends.Both are up for a fight.

-3 ( +14 / -17 )

hit the road jack...

-4 ( +10 / -14 )

Still waiting for this proof that Abe was remotely involved in this. The opposition is playing with fire here if no proof turns up, they won’t be forgiven for peddling fake allegations like they do in America

-1 ( +12 / -13 )

Let us take a deep breath and look at this clearly. First of all as the article stated, "a veterinary school in a government-designated deregulation zone", since the zone was a deregulation the normal rules didn't apply. There is no evidence to suggest that PM was involved. Moreover, as the article stated " - Japan's first new veterinary school in more than 50 years, the new school will benefit Japan by providing vets to Japan.

The SDF log issue is total BS. The SDF played a crucial role in helping stabilizing Iraq. What does a non combat zone mean? The SDF faced more danger in Fukushima than in Iraq.

-4 ( +12 / -16 )

He's as bent as a scenic railway. Still, he's Uncle Sam's boy and Keidanren's boy so he'd probably have to murder somebody live on TV to get the push again. Shame. The Japanese people certainly deserve better politicians than these corrupt, arrogant, third-rate, silver spoon clowns.

0 ( +12 / -12 )

Day after day after day we hear about this absolute garbage from the opposition or whoever. Even after a year there has been no smoking gun to prove upper involvement from Abe yet the farce on calling me to resign continues.

These claims are permanently discredited in my view and the overly emotional types who would convict on no evidence are doing themselves no favours here and thankfully don't have positions of influence in society.

This is beginning to resemble the #MeToo witch hunt in America where these overly emotional and idealistic types throw pesky annoyances like due process, facts, and evidence out the window, likely for personal attention and virtue signalling points

0 ( +11 / -11 )

Just gotta accept that there are always people in denial if it's someone they like.

Exactly. Well said!

-5 ( +8 / -13 )

Abe purposely surrounding himself with sleaze of his own so that the Orange Chump won't feel isolated if/when they meet up? A race to the bottom of the swamp.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Those opposition party politicians who are accusing Abe are also doing similar things. Representing electorate, they always receive petitions from locals and the politicians contact ministries and ask them to promote the local projects. Isn't this the same all over the world?

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Before laws, Abe is the untouchable.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Still waiting for this proof that Abe was remotely involved in this.

I'm still waiting for explanations (plausible or otherwise) about why all these public servants are saying things that give the appearance of Abe and/or Akie's involvement (even though "they actually weren't, honest").

What's the explanation for that? Have the public servants banded together to create scandals and then sought to give the appearance of Abe's involvement in them, when he and Akie are in fact innocent victims of the coniving bureaucrats?

There is a lot of black, black smoke billowing around Abe and Akie, so who can be blamed for suspecting there's an actual fire too?

 Japan's first new veterinary school in more than 50 years, the new school will benefit Japan by providing vets to Japan.

Well Japan already has veterinary schools, but a lack of freedom to enter the market.

So the new school being opened will benefit Abe's buddy because outside the special "deregulated" zone, no one else is allowed to freely open new veterinary schools. True deregulation is supposed to create a level playing field, but what Abe's (seemingly) done is used it to create a loophole for his buddy to join the protected club of vested interests. That the government still had to give approval for the school at all shows just how "deregulated" this all really is.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

Those opposition party politicians who are accusing Abe are also doing similar things. Representing electorate, they always receive petitions from locals and the politicians contact ministries and ask them to promote the local projects. Isn't this the same all over the world?

Schopenhauer - We were discussing British politics yesterday. Like in Japan, politicians are largely despised in Britain, but the few that are respected do exactly what you said, they represent the electorate and work towards improving things in their consituency rather than focusing on power and lucrative part time jobs with large private companies.

However, here Abe appears to being petitioned by his old friend rather then the electorate.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Aside from the obvious Abe supporters who need proof and can't get it. The Osaka school scandal that involves Nippon Kaigi now a veterinarian School that is not needed in a special deregulated zone. Memos blacked out, lost altered found, the ruling party stink of corruption and as leader of both the administration and Nippon Kaigi Shinzo is at the centre of these corruption cases. I point my rickety finger firmly towards him and issue a curse on him. We don't need people like him in any position of power nor his equally corrupt freinds.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

This is beginning to resemble the #MeToo witch hunt in America where these overly emotional and idealistic types throw pesky annoyances like due process, facts, and evidence out the window, likely for personal attention and virtue signalling points

Agreed, this is beginning to resemble a farce. I was supportive at first of seeing Abe resign, but now I'm against it until we see proper evidence of direct involvement

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

I do not trust opposition party politicians. They appeal they are clean and work for the weak and poor. But they live in a good house and wear good clothes and send their children to expensive schools. For me, life is hard and money scarce all through my life. For me they are rich people.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

kurumazaka

By the way, you should go tell an Iraq or South Sudan GSDF guy that they were safer there than in Fukushima serving their own country as they enlisted to do. I’m sure you’ll be real popular. You certainly would have had a wonderful time with us. We just love guys like you. Never served but has no problem with us dying to serve your ego.

Very well said. Good schooling!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

SchopenhauerToday 12:25 pm JST

I do not trust opposition party politicians. They appeal they are clean and work for the weak and poor. But they live in a good house and wear good clothes and send their children to expensive schools. For me, life is hard and money scarce all through my life. For me they are rich people.

By that logic you should trust LDP politicians even less, they come out with all the same stuff about wanting to help everyone but they're even richer.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

The evidence exist but as too many people are involved from the Ministries (and all the arrows point to Abe) they are altering documents and changing statements. Who wouldn't if the stake was so huge (resignation of a PM). The investigative journalists are very scarce in Japan so kudos to the brave that have found the wrongdoings and are trying to make it public.

Do you know that to a recent meeting at PMs residence all the media bosses but Asahi were invited? That's because Asahi shinbun is not pro-government. I am pleased though that NHK also have stepped up and is starting to stand on the side of truth. Up-till now they haven't exposed much of the nasty stuff top politicians are doing. Or they are airing it in a time nobody watch so the vast population who relies (elder and inaka) on TV are not informed and brainwashed by government propaganda!

3 ( +6 / -3 )

What about the vet school?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Simon Foston

I hate their hypocrisy.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

SchopenhauerToday 03:00 pm JST

Simon Foston

I hate their hypocrisy.

Umm... they're Diet members. They get better salaries than US and UK politicians which, incidentally, they need to keep winning elections to earn. You expect them to give all that money away and work for nothing? Anyway, what do you think opposition politicians can actually do for the weak and poor until they get into government?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Nobody on the basis of suspicion or doubt ,without any concrete proof or undeniable evidence , can be asked to resign in a democratic country . Opposition has only one agenda that is to deny third term to PM Abe as leader of LDP in election due in September so that he can not continue as PM of Japan.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Nobody on the basis of suspicion or doubt ,without any concrete proof or undeniable evidence , can be asked to resign in a democratic country . 

Wrong.

In solid democracies, politicians are held to a higher standard of account than common criminals, and they accept that that is so.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Simon Foston

Opposition parties are destructive and irresponsible. They shine only when they are denouncing the government. They are muckrakers now. We cannot entrust our nation to them. Actually, many of the diet members of the opposition parties have friends in LDP and they are dealing behind the scenes.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

a couple of people bare dead, so maybe we should just move along.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

B.l. SharmaToday 03:54 pm JST

Nobody on the basis of suspicion or doubt ,without any concrete proof or undeniable evidence , can be asked to resign in a democratic country .

Yes they can. This isn't like police and prosecutors needing evidence to press charges. If enough people take the allegations against a political party leader so seriously that it starts to damage the party's election prospects that leader is not an asset but a liability. The LDP will have every right to ask Abe to resign when and if he loses their trust.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

SchopenhauerApr. 11 05:06 pm JST

Simon Foston

Opposition parties are destructive and irresponsible. They shine only when they are denouncing the government.

With the government continually providing them with things to denounce what else are they supposed to do?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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