politics

Abe sticks to denials as scandal doubts keep swirling

42 Comments
By Linda Sieg and Kiyoshi Takenaka

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42 Comments
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It would appear he has a love affair with a particular river in Northern Africa known as the De Nile river. Once twice you are either stupid or a not telling the truth. But being a "special" person due to birth what the rest would be arrested for he can brush of with a metion of de Nile.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

Enough of these allegations.Show proof, or keep quiet.Let PM Abe continue to rule,so much crucial work to do to ensure safety in Japan,return of the Abductees, big meeting with Pres. Trump in Mar-a-lago etc.

The most dangerous era since 70 years ago needs a stable,strong ruler,not change.

-19 ( +10 / -29 )

Abe seems to forget that this isn't a court of law that he is fighting in now. The court of public opinion is in many ways much harsher here when it comes to appearances, and the circumstantial evidence is piling up, and not matter how much he denies any direct involvement, the public is getting tired of the BS.

3 ( +12 / -9 )

He said he wanted to take on a new challenge, but we never discussed specifics," Abe said.

Maybe Abe was not aware of the cronyism of the deal, but he is still guilty. Guilty of being an idiot for endorsing the school without checking the details. However, it seems it highly unlikely a country leader who is supposed to be educated would just blindly endorse such a deal. Both he and Aso are finished. They should do the country a favor and step down.

2 ( +12 / -10 )

It is “mottainai” (waste) to lose Abe for scandals. Economy is most important for people. I cannot expect other guys can handle the country’s economy as good as the team of Abe and Bank of Japan head Kuroda. Japanese economy is good today. Why do we have to change the successful leaders and hand over to other guys whose abilities unknown.

-11 ( +9 / -20 )

It is “mottainai” (waste) to lose Abe for scandals. Economy is most important for people. I cannot expect other guys can handle the country’s economy as good as the team of Abe and Bank of Japan head Kuroda. Japanese economy is good today. Why do we have to change the successful leaders and hand over to other guys whose abilities unknown.

You have yet to show any evidence of Abe doing anything other than putting the future generations of Japanese into further debt with his policies.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Abe sticks to denials as scandal doubts keep swirling

Let him keep denying. The longer he postpones the inevitable, the harder the drop. As the scandals keep mounting, they will eventually topple not only Abe but also the whole LDP.

9 ( +18 / -9 )

I cannot expect other guys can handle the country’s economy as good as the team of Abe and Bank of Japan head Kuroda.

So true. Replacing PM Abe for no good reason will destabiluze markets, upset corporations and lead to stocks falling,and big inflation.

All the worlds eyes are on PM Abe and Trump in the huge Summit in Mar -a-Lago Predident Rsidents. Who else do people propose should lead Japan in the huge Summit?

-13 ( +9 / -22 )

@ganbare japan: You seem to come across as anti-gambare Japan.

Abe is not invited to the summit between Trump and Kim.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Ganbare Japan!Today  07:08 am JST

Enough of these allegations.Show proof, or keep quiet.Let PM Abe continue to rule,so much crucial work to do to ensure safety in Japan...

The SDF logs scandal on Abe's watch really fills me with confidence that he's just the man to lead Japan's military to an even bigger disaster than WW2.

return of the Abductees,

Which Kim Jong-Un has apparently ruled out discussing in any negotiations. It's never going to happen. Abe probably knows it but is going to keep stringing those families along for as long as he can to keep getting votes.

big meeting with Pres. Trump in Mar-a-lago etc.

So much golf to play. So much chocolate cake to eat. About all those two idiots are fit for.

10 ( +17 / -7 )

Ganbare - the world's eyes will certainly not be on Trump & Abes needless holiday. Some will focus to provide a foto op to relieve both Trump & Abe from domestic scandal & pressure. That's all.

And the meeting of buddy-wuddies is not a huge summit - where did you get that idea from?

All is simply an escape for Abe from the daily drilling he is getting from the crony scandals.

Abe has lost credibility with the majority of people it seems. Bending the truth can be accepted by most as sometimes necessary - but Abe's out and out lying day in and day out, with printed documents and actual statements to challenge the lies, just makes himself look foolish. You get the feeling he is hoping that if the lie is repeated endlessly, on and on, that it will somehow miraculously become the truth.

Nothing could be further from.

For Japan to Ganbare, it needs to rid itself of the institutionalized cronyism and deceit as step number one. Then it can begin to move forward for all people to shine - not just the spooners and their tribes.

13 ( +20 / -7 )

"No one received instructions from me. There was no problem with the (approval) process," Abe told the panel

the three Ds. The mantra of those holding the keys of power in Japan. Deny, distract, deflect. It works too!

5 ( +9 / -4 )

I see Abe is trying to lie and deny again, learning from his boss from across the Pacific. In fact, does he ever do anything without the boss' permission?

And why, whenever there is a picture or video of that Aso, he is always trying to read something, and he's got this scrunched-up WTF face, like he's either forgotten to wear his glasses, or he doesn't know some of the kanji on the paper?

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Replacing PM Abe for no good reason will destabiluze markets, upset corporations and lead to stocks falling,and big inflation.

Gambare Japan - How exactly would replacing Abe cause big inflation? I'm intrigued.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

ganbare japan:

big meeting with Pres. Trump in Mar-a-lago etc.

I look forward to it. Their last meeting at Trump's cash cow was funny as heck. Everytime these two meet, it's comic relief non-stop. Sharing documents with the rest of the world, rolling down bunkers, the dreaded handshakes, yeah, bring it on.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Its Japan. Abe isnt going and neither is the LDP.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Not only another denial, but also Abe is going to stick to it. There is no point to dig out new lies, Abe is going to deny all of them.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

cucashopboy

Replacing PM Abe for no good reason will destabiluze markets, upset corporations and lead to stocks falling,and big inflation.

Gambare Japan - How exactly would replacing Abe cause big inflation? I'm intrigued.

Me too. And isn't that EXACTLY what Abe promised with Abenomics? Inflation? So if that's the case, we need to get rid of Abe for Abenomics to work.

Ironic isn't it?

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Think that man in the photo is telling Aso "dude your 77years old might be time to retire"

pssst pass it on to that loser next to you.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Abe is learning well from the trump playbook!

lie and deny!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Can’t be guilty if you don’t admit guilt right

!:-/

6 ( +7 / -1 )

All of what comes to be like that, is his way to expose words his mouth. He created more dubious matters to call all the people involved to appear the diet. He was too arrogant to think he was a charismatic protagonist(e.g.: Abe Mario) to stay long term governing, The reasons some bad guys also approached him as he was convinced politically steady. As much the bureaucrats hidden documents--lost-and-found records are "discovered" and released, and I'm sure more will come. Abe has no way to go ahead, the only way going to be-- the exit-way! The next issue could be the govt. pension plans to elders, used as financial instruments by public officers not well known by citizen who pays for decades.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Can’t be guilty if you don’t admit guilt right works well for other world leaders, look Abe may be guilty but why make it easy for the opposition and resign, wait for the next election and well see if the public want him as PM or not, considering what the opposition has to offer I dont see that happening and Abe knows it.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

48% of people in a recent poll stated they though Abe was better than what the opposition had to offer even knowing the scandal has damaged his reputation

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"No one received instructions from me. There was no problem with the (approval) process," Abe told the panel 

And, "I'm going to go across the street and get you some orange sherbet"...

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Oh and, "nothing to see here, move along"

Has Abe got it?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

48% of people in a recent poll stated they though Abe was better than what the opposition had to offer even knowing the scandal has damaged his reputation

Which means a majority, 52% think differently, and in a democracy a majority rules right? Oh wait this is Japan, so less than 1/10 of 1% get to decide who is PM

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Denied, once again.

No evidence, once again.

No connection, once again.

Haha the opposition aren't even competent in opposition, let alone the fantasy of ever holding power. They have set themselves back another decade after this farce and well deserved too

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Bones,

japanese politicians dont have to look to trump to learn scamming the public - they wrote the rulebook.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Liar liar pants on fire was posted recently. Hehehe

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@wtf. Works well but not in South Korea.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The problem is with the japanese themselves. They expect nothing more from their sham democracy. Of course the average japanese reaps the results in the awful lifestyle most lead. But 'shoga nai'.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

The problem is with the japanese themselves. They expect nothing more from their sham democracy

Yeah silly Japanese! Why can't the Japanese be more like the "critical thinking" real democracies like Trump America and Brexit Britain!? Until Japan elects Trump or inflicts a grievous self inflicted economic wound on itself like a real democracy, they are a "sham democracy"!

Hypocrisy seems lost these days

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Well at this rate I guess the opposition will finally present concrete evidence on Abe sometime in 2025. What a shame and missed opportunity..

4 ( +7 / -3 )

From the picture, Aso looks like he has trouble keeping up - and should at least resign.

Abe looks arrogantly dismissive, and reliant of denials. Sorry guys, the scandals aren’t going away.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

the opposition aren't even competent in opposition,

Not true, Abe’s approval ratings have taken a beating as a result.

Certainly not enough to win a term in government, but exposing scandalous behavior by the incumbents is a basic prerequisite of being opposition politicians.

They need an attractive platform of coherent policies to take power. You could fairly criticize them on those grounds, but they have done a sterling job of raising doubts around Abe’s character (which may be justified doubts, too, but that is irrelevant in politics).

4 ( +4 / -0 )

fxgaiToday  05:29 pm JST

"the opposition aren't even competent in opposition,"

Not true, Abe’s approval ratings have taken a beating as a result.

Certainly not enough to win a term in government, but exposing scandalous behavior by the incumbents is a basic prerequisite of being opposition politicians.

I don't think we should let ourselves be drawn into discussions about the opposition. I suspect they're usually transparent attempts by Abe supporters to deflect attention away from the fact that his denials are just as flimsy and insubstantial as any accusation that has been made against him. More so in fact, as just about everything that does come to light about these scandals only makes him look more and more guilty. Likewise these Abe supporters can't come up with anything credible to say in his defence so they fall back on the standard LDP lackey tactic of trying to smear and discredit his critics.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Darmstadt,

The difference is that the democracies do actuallychange parties more than once every 80 - 100 years.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

DarmstadtApr. 12  04:36 pm JST

Yeah silly Japanese! Why can't the Japanese be more like the "critical thinking" real democracieslike Trump America and Brexit Britain!? Until Japan elects Trump or inflicts a grievous self inflicted economic wound on itself like a real democracy, they are a "sham democracy"!

Who said the US and the UK were "real" democracies? No country that uses the first-past-the-post voting system and lets legislators be elected by pluralities rather than majorities is a real democracy. Japan however is even less of a real democracy as it also uses first-past-the-post and elections are basically rigged in favour of bribed, over-represented, rural LDP voters.

Hypocrisy seems lost these days

Very profound. No idea what it means, but very profound.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

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