Abe orders measures to prevent mishandling of public documents

Right, like no one ever thought that this was necessary before this scandal? Just how dense does Abe think the public is? This is just another photo op to show that he is in control of a proverbial sinking ship!

The documents were doctored to cover up the pressure exerted on the finance minister by the PM his wife and Aso. To collude together for the purpose of selling tax payer land at a huge discount to the president of the Osaka chapter of Nippon Kaigi. That's the problem. Adding yet another layer to an already multilayered beauracractic system is disingenuous to say the least.

Abe is saying even if a scandal is caused by a prime minister, the bureaucracy should not work to hide the facts to protect the prime minister. What an audacious lie.

We are talking about the country with no war head ? and suddenly japan want war head power around which year ? I hope japan understand nuclear is about logic too.

After document, then, it is sex affair. England prefer gay strike first.

My gosh you get to put a suit on and do that with a straight face? Gotta love how the rich and powerful make the rules, break them, and now apparently can re invent them too in front of everyone.

I can't understand why oh why Japanese still like to support such a corrupt political gang.

so the guy who bungled everything is making sure it doesn't happen?

Just make it retroactive LOL

Who said the Japanese can't act?

They are all sitting there with stern looks on their faces while deep down they must be laughing their heads off.

Abe and co. Would be better off appearing in cheesy TV dramas and quiz shows than on the world stage.

their shame knows no bounds.

When he used the word deplorable earlier in the week when he was talking about Trump's trade agenda I guess he was really thinking of himself and that arrogant self entitled oaf Aso.

Abe needs to not do dodgy deals and there would be nothing to doctor!

Ladies and gents, japanese 'democracy'

Figured the Korean model of people power would spur some changes in the region. But alas, with the absence of any meaningful opposition to the one party regime, those wishes were simply unfounded.

scandals that have damaged public confidence in the government.

I wonder if Abe realizes it is him, his wife, and his little ‘mini-me’ Aso who have ‘damaged public confidence in the government’ by lying, scratching their names off of documents that prove he profited by selling land cheap to a buddy of his, and ramming through a veterinary school for another friend?

Yet the public will vote the LDP into office again and again and again because...? Because they want corruption and hypocrisy in control of their dwindling incomes and purchasing power. Just copying their American models, I guess.

Abe orders measures to prevent tampering of public documents to a standard where tampering can not be detected.

Abe closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.

But it was he who left it open in the first place.

Odd that!

All of this has happened with Aso as Finance Minister. Abe could order Aso to step down to take responsibility for the scandal but won't because Aso controls the 2nd largest faction in the LDP and their support is vital for Shinzo to win a third term as leader.

Empty Suit Abe is more interested in his own personal ambition than accepting any moral responsibility as leader of Japan for the past six years.

Are we supposed to laugh or cry at this?

Cry. Japanese democracy is dead and the corpse is starting to stink.

Abe and Aso - Japan's inimitable Manzai team. Political farce at its best! LOL!

I love the look on Noda and Suga's faces. Nominations for best supporting actor and actress?

Ha ha ha said the fox in charge of the hen house

Is there NOONE in Kasumigaseki that can take these two clowns down?

papi, nope. Abe is a criminal and a fake but he holds the reins of power and can

manipulate pubic opinion via his state media NHK propagandist. He learned his lesson when he was booted out the first time. He may go the way of former PM Obuchi and die in office.

(in regards to the accompanying picture for this story and besides Abe's face) Yeah, that is exactly the look I would expect from a group of people who know they are jamming in a knife from behind and throwing their colleagues under the bus. I mean my god if it's possible to look any guiltier I'm not sure I have seen it before.

"It also plans to clarify in its guideline that document falsification could be subject to disciplinary action"

Wow! Who knew that the government could be so expeditious? But this is a step too far surely!

Trying to patch a sinking ship like this is comic. The fact that they think this subdue their critics is also a sign of how much contempt they have for their own system of government. That the LDP will still hold onto power is just sad. A nation in decline, history in the making.

Fact is unbelievably stranger than fiction.....,

Proof that we all understand irony but the term is not widely understood in Japan

Japan's joke of a democracy at work

So doctoring documents and covering it up was a-OK before? Interesting take there Shinzo-kun.

Just don't get caught! That was the real crime...

I'm assuming his own resignation is at the top of the list of these "measures".

I wonder if the local papers and news are calling this hypocrisy out, or letting it stew even though it’s gone bad?

And what measures to stop the cronyism that started this whole thing, Mr. Prime Minister. That is the root of the problem, and with these measures, you're just addressing the head of the dandelion...

From this part in this column: "Abe also urged the ministers to make efforts to improve government officials' compliance over handling state documents and promote the use of electronic systems to record document rewriting and prevent falsification.”

-No need to state that Mr. Abe, all of your ministers know about it and Japan is doing it from years ago following the advanced electronic system. The 2 scandals concerning you Mr. Abe, it was handled that way to protect you. All the ministers on the pictures are tired to follow you, because other scandals will appear for this govt. have lost public credit. "You reap what you sow" is what you did Mr. Abe, even a primary school boy will say that.

I wonder if the local papers and news are calling this hypocrisy out, or letting it stew even though it’s gone bad?

They will have to tread carefully, else risk losing their broadcasting licenses (there is actual LDP made legislation against them for not 'towing the party line').

In a free country, the people and media would be spewing about this, and inevitably, heads would roll. In Japan however, the reaction to all this will be equal to... [crickets chirping]

OK, everyone! Back to work! Nothing to see here...

Just classify everything under the auspices of National Security.

Sadly there is no one to can take these Clowns down. It's a bit like a membership to a closed Society, you cant join without approval from the existing membership, and once in, you toe the line.

That news report was simply full of absolute lies and misdirection by the government to cover up and put to bed the current scandals. Deliberately tampering of any government or public record should already be a treasonable offence! I cannot believe this is not already in place??? How could it not be??? Where is the press on all this and investigating? Gagged by the very Government that perpetrated the falsification. Is their honestly anyone in Japan who DOESNT think the order to falsify the documents didn’t come from the top?

So falsifying a document Or lying on any paperwork I am required to submit to city hall the official public record keepers is not punishable by law? And if so, what is the penalty? I thought so...one law for us but not for them!

I wonder if Costco Japan sells pitchforks and tiki torches. (If it weren't raining today, I'd be out in front of the Diet Building... fair weather protester - I'll admit it.)

A deceitful charade, a perfidious act to conceal culpability of an unlawful crime.

The conclusion is a shameful arrogant contempt for the electorate. The smug effrontery is as offensive as its impertinence to honour and decency for any politician or authority in public office.

The ignominy of this ghastly public spectacle is shamelessly duplicitous and frankly repellent.

A deceitful charade, a perfidious act to conceal culpability of an unlawful crime.The conclusion is a shameful arrogant contempt for the electorate. The smug effrontery is as offensive as its impertinence to honour and decency for any politician or authority in public office. The ignominy of this ghastly public spectacle is shamelessly duplicitous and frankly repellent.

Or in common English, a LDP politician in Japan doing their job.

Reputations of Abe san cabinet and government could well have been damaged beyond repair.

Every pledge, promise, policy statement amounts to a failure to address any viable solution to a ever growing list of political and economic challenges.

These so called scandals underline this LDP governments inability to grasp even basic fundamental principle, behaviours of trustworthiness , conduct required of leadership. The measures ordered are from a cabinet unfit to govern. All adding insult to injury.

"These so called scandals...  "

Itsonlyrocknroll, why do you say "so called"? You think this doesn't qualify as an actual scandal? Other than that, I agree with your last post.

Hi taj, my use of the adjective “so called” scandals, I feel does not, in my opinion define fully the gravity of these criminal acts of tapering and wilful shedding of evidence/wrongdoing.

I also feel both Abe san and Tarō Asō should accept full responsibility and resign. I suggest a full independent judicial public inquiry out of respect for the office of Prime Minister of Japan.

I am convinced a third party facilitator orchestrated a treasonous act, in effect buffering between the finance ministry bureaucratic officialdom and highest levels of this ruling LDP government.

Any semblance of governance or accountability has been smothered.

promote the use of electronic systems to record document rewriting and prevent falsification

Please don’t use it as an excuse to spend more if my taxes on crap.

Put the documents in a blockchain or something, no more money for useless government sponsored projects please.