Gov't denies ghosts keeping PM out of residence

It would be very regrettable if the official residence was haunted

It would be very regrettable if the official residence was haunted

Probably haunted by the ghosts of comfort women!

“We are not aware of any sightings of ghosts.”

That's not quite the same as denying why he won't move in. Perhaps he is just hesitant because of the revolving door of Japanese PMs -- doesn't want to have to move out again in a short time.

Anyway, heaps of skeletons in the closet, no doubt, but ghosts?

don't be scared little boy. it's only Casper, the friendly ghost.

Just call the ghost busters!

what's the cost? see if hedge funds can buy it :)

I doubt it has anything to do with ghosts. It's also rumored that the White House is haunted by the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. That has never stopped any US president from moving into the White House.

Just call the ghost busters!

Not as strange as one might think, since shinto priests are often summoned to places to perform yaku-barai (exorcisms).

ghosts eh? I wonder..

Considering the evil that many prime ministers and politicians have perpetrated over the many years its more likely than not that there are ghosts and evil spirits in this residence.

Apparently, the koutei sports frog statuettes climbing a wall. Perhaps he is simply averse to frog statuettes, or to reptiles climbing walls. More on the koutei here:

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/05/13/noda-parliament-scarier-than-ghosts/

"Gov't denies ghosts keeping PM out of residence"

The government denies a lot of things, doesn't it?

My first reaction was similar to that of smithinjapan... Who knows for how long he'd be living there ? (I'm still trying fix up our place that we moved to four years ago !)

Are they serious about this crap? Ghosts? Lol...

This is stupid! Why is this news?

But it does show us what complete idiots run this country!

"has yet to move into the 11-room brick home"

Well, of course, Abe's own home is much bigger and nicer than this!

"Junichiro Koizumi: I've never encountered any ghosts, although I would like to see them"

He's nuts, believe me, you don't want to see any ghosts!

Makes no sense, didn't he live there the first time he was Prime Minister?

By the way, and thanks for telling us what it's not, and so sorry for asking... But what, pray tell, is the actual reason he hasn't moved in yet?!

This is one of the many reasons why I love Japan. Oh, and I'm not ruling out that there may actually be ghosts.

@ Abdella - that is officially the strangest reason to "love" a country in history! BTW - I imagine abe is staying in a 5-star hotel at OUR expense because his guts can't handle staying in the usual residence. Dropkick.

Yes, forgot about his guts. 11 rooms but are there enough bathrooms for him? Time, distance, could be tricky.

This is stupid! Why is this news?

But it does show us what complete idiots run this country!

I'm sure you must know that a great percentage of Japanese believe in ghosts. My wife does and it often annoys me.

"are there enough bathrooms for him? Time, distance, could be tricky"

He's in remission fron ulcerative colitis, which is nothing to joke about.

He is the PM, he has a big job to do, so he should be able to live where he wants to live.

Spirits of those who became trapped in between this world and the next are everywhere on this planet. Those who are psychically sensitive enough to be aware of such spirits have the opportunity to help them become free and move on. The way to do this is by approaching them with loving compassion for their trapped souls. Help them to understand what happened. Encourage them to let the lights approach so they can recognize that the lights are their soul mates on the other side who are trying to reach them. This story has resonance because of the terrible loss of life that Japan has suffered in the tsunami. I hope that people everywhere will overcome their fear of the supernatural and help the spirits of those who died in sudden and violent deaths find their way back to the Light of the higher dimensional reality from which we all come.

The whole official residence thing is ridiculous.

@ Abdella - "big job "- huh? It's not like Japan is an Islamic country where the PM can be blown up any time! Live in the PMs residence, dropkick abe - stop wasting OUR yen!

@ sofa-king - LOL buddy!

ahahah! Fukushima people can leave with extra millisieverts by amending the law, but a PM cannot move into a house because it is haunted. This is really, really funny! Only in Japan!

Is it not the ghost of his last prime ministership?

That has never stopped any US president from moving into the White House.

Come on now, US presidents are not as superstitious as Japanese PM's!

I'm the most skeptical person in the world when it comes to paranormal stuff.

But goddammit, I've had some experiences here in Japan that I just can't explain.

Old dark buildings in Japan scare the life out of me.

I've heard that by world standards, the Prime Minister's Residence is pretty crummy, though it wouldn't look good for Abe to say that...

@BurakuminDes - put your rage away, to be fair to him, he still lives in his own regular apartment just around the corner from me, he's not in a 5-star hotel.

Abe took office in December but has yet to move into the 11-room brick home in central Tokyo, the longest holdout among any of his predecessors, according to local media.

well, one thing that isn't clear here is about money. if abe doesn't live in the official residence right now, who is paying for the electricity, heating, airconditioning, security, cooking et cetera in his current residence? abe himself or the japanese taxpayers? are the japanese taxpayers still paying for all these things at the unoccupied official residence? if that is the case, isn't that unnecessary waste of tax money??

He probably lives in his better and bigger house than only 11 room brick home. Fancy Japanese style house. Also hi is too busy enjoying foreign countries.

Maybe there are no ghosts around, but I can guarantee there are a few bones leftover in the closets.

Maybe ghost story to shift people's eyesaway from Hashimoto and Ishihara?

The tabloids are blaming his wife. Does he have secure communications capability at home? Think of the security risk he's presenting to his neighbours, the police presence in his neighbourhood.

@warnerbro: I did not think about security. Thanks for your comment.