Opposition turns up heat on Abe over cronyism scandal

Compared with corruptions of leaders of other countries, his misdeed is minor. He did many good things to the country. We cannot remove Abe and return Japan to the days of confusions before him.

Quote 'Compared with corruptions of leaders of other countries, his misdeed is minor. He did many good things to the country. We cannot remove Abe and return Japan to the days of confusions before him.'

Exactly. Agree with your comment 100%. Those who are Anti-Japan can't wait to see Abe gone. Can't wait to make another Japanese PM pay compensation or give apologies after a final and irreversible deal was sign.

Abe can weather the pressure from the opposition, but he will be hard pressed to get re-elected if the hierarchy of the LDP keep the screws turned.

Abe has to be using a ton of political capital and back-scratching to keep his folks in line, but if it continues, he will be done!

Compared with corruptions of leaders of other countries, his misdeed is minor. He did many good things to the country. We cannot remove Abe and return Japan to the days of confusions before him.

Pray tell, name ONE good thing Abe himself has done for the country/people of Japan. Come on ONE!

Oh and how typically Japanese, obfuscate, deflect, and change the discussion to compare to "other" countries, this is about JAPAN, your love for ABe will make him a dictator!

School operators in jail, beauracracts who destroyed, altered, falsified documents unnamed, the whole thing stinks. No effort at all to get the public understanding as was promised. And the Vetenary school also needs an explanation. The Law is a very fickle thing. Standards of professionalism and law certainly don't apply if you are the elite.

While I fully support the opposition investigating and demanding evidence, I have no doubt that the opposition party is also involved in its own corruption. After all, TIJ!

Compared with corruptions of leaders of other countries, his misdeed is minor. He did many good things to the country. We cannot remove Abe and return Japan to the days of confusions before him.

There you have it folks. Japanese democracy in a tiny nutshell

The former head of the school operator and his wife were arrested in July on suspicion of illegally receiving subsidies.

The Police are already involved in this case, so what I don't understand is why isn't all of this controversial paper work being treated as evidence. Tampering with evidence is surely a crime and the Police often keep suspects in detention on the premise that if released they would hide or destroy evidence.

I know that they are different countries with different systems, but the way the case involving the ex-president of Korea was handled and the way PM Abe is being let off the hook is really eyeopening .

Let them turn up the heat all they want, they are not remotely close to taking power thankfully.

The opposition is too incompetent at this stage to trust with governing the nation, especially with tensions so high in the region, NK on the verge of extinction, Olympics and Rugby World Cup around the corner, and of course with the economy being so strong right now.

It is almost guaranteed the opposition will screw up the NK situation and derail the economic boom we are expeir

Experiencing*

The former head of the school operator and his wife were arrested in July on suspicion of illegally receiving subsidies.

exactly. but from who? who gave them the subsidies? how can you arrest someone for receiving something illegal when you don't arrest the person who gave it to them as well?

I know that they are different countries with different systems, but the way the case involving the ex-president of Korea was handled and the way PM Abe is being let off the hook is really eyeopening .

Be careful. the powers that be wont accept that. Japan's censorship is on par with china's

SchopenhauerToday  07:10 am JST

Compared with corruptions of leaders of other countries,

Who cares? We're talking about Japan, not other countries.

his misdeed is minor.

No it is not. Abe said himself he would resign as PM and from the Diet if it turned out he was involved. You appear to be conceding that he WAS involved.

No it is not. Abe said himself he would resign as PM and from the Diet if it turned out he was involved. You appear to be conceding that he WAS involved.

excellent point simon!

Those who are Anti-Japan can't wait to see Abe gone.

Me and many others who are not anti-Japan would still love to see him gone.

dcog9065Today  08:48 am JST

Let them turn up the heat all they want, they are not remotely close to taking power thankfully.

The opposition is too incompetent 

Yes, so you keep saying. Well, Abe being forced out would be good enough for the time being. Not everyone in the LDP is quite as loathsome although I would prefer if another 3rd generation political hack didn't take over as PM.

 whether documents were altered or not. It is a matter that destroys the very foundation of politics," said Renho

She can huff and she can puff , but can she blow the house down. I think not. After all isn't that what beaurocrats do for a living? Make documents to cover the elites, feign work and create paper progress. The whole game is an illusion and for them to be screaming bloody murder is just funny.

The opposition focuses on these cronyism issues a lot, but they don't really have anything in the way of economic policies that are attractive. This is why they won't get into power for a while. It doesn't help that they also seem like softies in foreign policy at a time when we most definitely need hawks

More fabrication and slander from DPJ and left-wing media. PM Abe has turned Japan around, when he famously said 6 years ago "Ladies and Gentlemen...Japan is Back". He meant it, through Abenomic policies, trade deals, standing up to NK and China, boostimg tourism and stockmarket, massive infrastructure projects, close to ZERO unemployment, Tokyo Olympics, and making Japans Military strong again. Can anyone deny these?

Japan was a terrible place only 7 years ago, and is now enjoying the fruits of PM Abe and Vice PM Aso policies to Bring Japan Back. Haters gonna hate, but they WILL NOT bring PM Abe down.

"This is not simply a matter of whether documents were altered or not. It is a matter that destroys the very foundation of politics," said Renho

What disturbs me, is where do "Renhos" loyalty lie? With Japan like PM Abe always is, or elsewhere? PM Abe should do investigations on Renho.

What disturbs me, is where do "Renhos" loyalty lie?

It lies with Japan of course.

Ricky KaminskiToday  09:20 am JST

 "whether documents were altered or not. It is a matter that destroys the very foundation of politics," said Renho"

She can huff and she can puff , but can she blow the house down. I think not.

Right enough, probably not. Nothing much will happen if no more evidence emerges, although these bureaucrats don't seem to be that good at covering things up.

Simon# Then one has to wonder, what exactly can they do? A lot of overtime I image ;P

Can anyone deny these?

Whatever Abe's achievements are, does that excuse corruption? for you, the answer is obviously yes.

Well done to the opposition, give the LDP hell! This staggering amount of corruption and lack of transparency would never occur in the West

Japan was a terrible place only 7 years ago

No it wasn't.

What disturbs me, is where do "Renhos" loyalty lie? With Japan like PM Abe always is, or elsewhere? PM Abe should do investigations on Renho.

There is no reason at all to doubt Renho's loyalty to Japan. She isn't the one stealing from the taxpayer to provide sweetheart deals for buddies.

The former head of the school operator and his wife were arrested in July on suspicion of illegally receiving subsidies.

Aly has this. If the school operator and his wife acted illegally in accepting the subsidies, it stands to reason the person or persons who approved and authorised their release is equally (if not more) culpable.

Those who are Anti-Japan can't wait to see Abe gone.

I love Japan, it's my home. I can't wait to see the constitution-fiddling, mealymouthed, misogynist Abe and his cronies gone, gone, gone.

To criticise a country's leader does not mean one hates the country. It often means you love the country and can't bear to see it (in what you feel to be) the wrong hands.

Turn the heat up.

Yes, so you keep saying. Well, Abe being forced out would be good enough for the time being. Not everyone in the LDP is quite as loathsome although I would prefer if another 3rd generation political hack didn't take over as PM.

@Simon Foston: Completely disagree, Abe and the LDP has been doing very well IMO.

Business sentiment and investment is up, the stockmarket is through the roof, exports at an all time high, economic growth growing more than any period since the bubble burst, living standards all time high, life expectancy and child mortality best in the world, salaries for skilled professions rising rapidly, more women than ever in the workforce, population readjusting smoothly, no radical political situation like in EU and USA, Rugby World Cup and Olympics around the corner, incredibly pragmatic foreign policy allowing massive Japanese investment overseas, long overdue rebuilding of military defense, and strong response in countering NK which has forced them to negotiating table as of today.

You honestly think the opposition, who can't even manage to find enough qualified candidates to even contest half the seats in the nation, could do better? You think Renho, who couldn't even find her Taiwanese citizenship, could instead find the right economic solutions to further Japanese interests and the economy?

The opposition literally has no case to be allowed into power.

Ganbare Japan!Today  09:27 am JST

Japan was a terrible place only 7 years ago, and is now enjoying the fruits of PM Abe and Vice PM Aso policies to Bring Japan Back.

Can you actually provide any evidence of anyone enjoying those... "fruits"?

No? Thought not.

 Haters gonna hate, but they WILL NOT bring PM Abe down.

No, the LDP will when they decide this continual trickle of evidence of his corruption coming out makes him a liability.

cleoToday  09:46 am JST

I love Japan, it's my home. I can't wait to see the constitution-fiddling, mealymouthed, misogynist Abe and his cronies gone, gone, gone.

Right, I don't automatically object to conservative politicians with right-wing policies but Abe is beneath contempt and anyone who speaks up for him is condoning oligarchy, cronyism and brazen corruption.

Abe out, Kono in.

dcog9065Today  09:59 am JST

You honestly think the opposition, who can't even manage ...

You have no idea what I think, even though I thought I was being fairly clear. Where are you getting this stuff about what I think of the opposition? Have I ever written anything of the sort? In fact, I think I actually wrote that I could live with someone else in the LDP taking over from Abe.

Is it just easier for you to criticise what you imagine other people's opinions to be, rather than what they actually think?

"Under pressure from ruling party heavyweights along with the opposition, the ministry on Thursday released to the Diet hundreds of pages of what it said were copies of the original documents, but opposition lawmakers said their doubts remained."

The documents that were release matched the documents that were shown last year. The opposition is grasping at straws. The opposition will never be satisfied because they have no other issue. The opposition has no ideas nor any polices for Japan.

Supporting Abe is inconsistent with loving Japan. Most people on this site do not support Abe and do love Japan.

econstatsToday  10:42 am JST

The opposition is grasping at straws.

Are they, though? It was suspicious enough when the bureaucrats claimed no records had been kept, and THEN it turned out there were still records after all. I think it's quite reasonable to doubt these documents' veracity given everything else we know about this situation and the parties involved.

The opposition will never be satisfied because they have no other issue. The opposition has no ideas nor any polices for Japan.

I can wait to learn more about whatever ideas the opposition do or do not have until the truth of this Moritomo Gakuen matter has been properly established. But if this does lead to Abe's downfall it will be because he has been stabbed in the back by the LDP. The opposition won't have much to do with it.

@Simon Foston: I see you were unable to respond to the list of milestones achieved under the current LDP government. Don't worry, no one is able to come up with any counter to those achievements, which is why the opposition has no chance and sadly appears to be meandering into the realm of fake news and conspiracies or whatever.

Why do Abe lovers only think the opposition is non-LDP? Removing Abe doesn’t mean one wants one of the other parties. Abe’s undoing will come from his own party if enough momentum is built.

dcog9065 -

Fact : the myriad of troubles that has pre-occupied Japan for the past 20+ years were all caused under the LDPs guard.

Whether it be the pathetic pension scandals, ridiculous boodoggling esp of unnecessary infrastructure, degrading of the environment, lack of support for regional Japan, refusal to de-centralize govt, refusal to initiate real reforms in the bloated bureaucracies, failure to establish equitable rights and systems for women, failure to understand the serious demographic horror that is befalling the country (birthrate, aging...), etc, etc, etc in fact all ailments were created by 50+years of one party rule.

The short time of the democrats in power was abruptly compromised by the worst peace time disaster in living memory, so everything they were trying to do was scuttled. And the LDP - Abe Inc - just used the disaster to attack and get back in power. The Old "If only we were in govt things would have been different" tune was played out and accepted by the still-in-shock-populous. They followed the bleats.

The current cronyism scandal reflects how LDP has done business for decades. They have treated Japan and it's citizens like their own private company, basking in the glory of the boom days, but too gutless to take responsibiliity for all the problems, blaming others. What a joke.

As a lover of the ordinary folks of Japan, can't wait for the bright ones of my kids generations to break through and begin the de-fossilization process that has kept the likes of Abe Inc / Japan Inc in total control.

The coming era will see the despicable days of Kanson Minpi ( 官尊民卑) finally relegated to the historical trash can.

browny1 - that's the best post I've read on this site for some time, and thanks for the new expression ( 官尊民卑) .

One of the bureaucrats in charge of the sale of land to Moritomo is reported to have committed suicide.

"It is hard to see where this will end."

Not really. A secretary will ultimately "be responsible" for saying the documents had been lost, and Abe will say he was not aware of what happened and can't be held accountable, as will Aso. The people here will shrug and say, "Shou ga nai, ne. I don't like Abe's policies, but I must vote for him anyway, because.... ummm... shou ga nai."

Considering how the LDP will drive Japan into a whole world of pain in the not-so-distant future with their nationalist views and corrupt dealings, I would very much like to see them out!

Not really. A secretary will ultimately "be responsible" for saying the documents had been lost, and Abe will say he was not aware of what happened and can't be held accountable, as will Aso. The people here will shrug and say, "Shou ga nai, ne. I don't like Abe's policies, but I must vote for him anyway, because.... ummm... shou ga nai."

Oh man! This is so true!!!

"It is hard to see where this will end."

Not really. A secretary will ultimately "be responsible" for saying the documents had been lost, and Abe will say he was not aware of what happened and can't be held accountable, as will Aso.

Exactly. The Head of the National Tax Administration Agency, Sagawa, is going to step down now per news.

Will this be enough?

dcog9065Today  11:36 am JST

@Simon Foston: I see you were unable to respond ...

Not for whatever reasons you might have imagined.

...to the list of milestones achieved under the current LDP government.

It's hardly worth commenting on except to say that it's all barely substantiated and highly debatable. Some of those "milestones" have very little to do with the current administration, and I can't see any that have provided the general public with much tangible benefit.

Who cares... whatever is said here, has absolutely no impact upon the current situation, so why waste your breath (fingers)....