Abe says sorry over political funding case

"Sorry?" I am beginning to believe THIS is the real reason he quit! If he would have been forced into stepping down for being a liar, Suga wouldnt be PM, and Abe wouldnt be the shadow King!

Dude should retire from polictics!

Well then, that's all sorted. A "sorry" and a bow. Everything is golden...

"Although accounting was handled without my knowledge..."

Does anyone really believe this?

Abe only says to "feel" responsibility from when he was prime minister, he never takes responsibility.

and, LDP government including Abe or Suga wait to general public lose interest to scandal.

Pathetic

Well he could not even manage his own staff, certainly could not a country. Think he has a lot more to apologise for. Refection on his faults is going to be quite a job, not confident his stomach is upto that.

It's pretty easy if you have family pedigree and rule a population who are taught family name trumps intelligence or intention.

During the news conference on Thursday, he said he was unaware of how his office handled the funds, but felt "heavy responsibility" for the situation.

"I can't help but explain the facts and correct my statements to the Diet," he said. "I am taking seriously my political responsibility for causing this situation."

"Although accounting was handled without my knowledge, I feel moral responsibility. I am deeply reflecting on myself, and I apologize to the people," he said.

All that responsibility with no consequences or changes and sure to be repeated by the next LDP suit. This word "responsibilty", “You keep using that word. ... I do not think it means what you think it means.”

vanityofvanitiesToday  08:11 am JST

Despite all the criticism, I will not support anybody here if he wanted to become the prime minister of Japan. 

Your support wouldn't make any difference anyway.

Easier said than done.

Not for people from Yamaguchi whose family name is Abe or Kishi.

Just another scandal to toss on his scandal heap that doesn't seem to affect his popularity. /shrug

Why has he not been arrested?

Now we know the real reason that Abe resigned. It had nothing to do with health.

He should be imprisoned

Abe repeatedly denied the allegations that his office helped cover the costs of dinner parties for supporters under questioning by opposition lawmakers last year.

Then he says,

"Although accounting was handled without my knowledge,...

This is rich. I'm sorry they're not going to punish him. Think they'll hold him in jail for a year while awaiting trial like they did with Ghosn? Nah, of course not.

This frankly shameful, so many denials, and the obligatory public deep bow apology, and the whole violation of Japan's strict political funding laws just melts away like ice cream

Japan cannot enforce one law for the people, and just turn a blind eye to Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe transgressions.

Who will be a good leader of Japan then?

Id suggest a normal person, with morals, dignity and most of all care about about the population. But apparently that's too much to ask for?

Didnt he urge several times for pay rises? Who got one? How's that economy going? Freinds with neighbors? Business closing? Tax up, social security what happened to that?

I am really trying to find a positive but hitting dead ends. He did spend a Lot of time overseas so that's a weird positive.

All should remember these magical words -

"Although accounting was handled without my knowledge, I feel moral responsibility. I am deeply reflecting on myself, and I apologize to the people," 

because if you're ever in a spot of bother with the law, they will appease the police, prosecutors and critical citizens and you will find yourself free to continue on your merry way.

Nothing like a "It wasn't me, but I'm sorry for the trouble they caused - wink, wink".

Better than any Abracadabra!

Another performance to somewhat ease the doubt and negative tension before Diet today?!

He never means this unless he takes responsibility. He has never taken one for his real faults during his tenure as PM.

Good riddance.

Abe’s time as PM should be remembered for all the scandals involving him directly as well as countless of his lawmakers. I think it’s fair to say that corruption was rife throughout his years as leader.

He got away with it all personally. The scandal regarding Moritomo Gakuen, which resulted in someone committing suicide is one that he and his wife should’ve faced prosecution over. But, he lied and denied and eventually it went away. I hope the guilt stays with him for the rest of his days.

Abe can stand in front of cameras and look somber, but that shouldn’t change the fact he should be remembered as an inept leader who was embroiled in numerous scandals.

Why can't we get a catchy chant in Japan like "lock him up"

He's sorry that he got caught

The problem is that he lied over 100 times in Diet on this issue without confirming with the hotel. If he called the hotel even once for the receipt like the opposition parties were insisting back then (or even today), the Diet did not have to take so much time using our taxed money. Such Diet is so productive...sigh.

Just another 'SORRIMASEN'

Hybrid verb - sounds like I am sorry, but real meaning is I'm not sorry.

Christmas is a perfect occasion to ask for forgiveness and to forgive.

Yeah, he's sorry, no doubt about it. How about volunteering to pay attrition in prison? No? How about not letting your scapegoat take the fall and admitting it was your fault, and take some responsibility and consequences? No? Well, then, it's just a usual, meaningless, J-politician "bow bow moushiwakenai".

to

Tip of the iceberg of the corrupt LDP politics..... with cracks on all sides ( Kurokawa-Case, Justice Minister Kawaii-Case, Moritomo Case, Tsukasa Akimoto Bribery-Case etc etc. ) But seems they still haven't run out of secretaries / scapegoats that can be thrown under the bus.

As long WE voters ( especially those with Goldfish-memory) and those with "cant be help" mentality wont change - NOTHING EVER will change in Japan , except its going downhill...fast.

Well, in all fairness ~ Abe san kind of bowed so he's alright with Japan now. As long as you kinda sorta bow and say Sorry! Then everything is forgotten. Like fairy dust! Sprinkle it across Japan and make the people sleep!

RecklessToday  10:26 am JST

The man did so much for Japan.

Such as? No one seems to be able to say.

Give him a break.

Do ordinary people who commit illegal act get breaks?

I still don't understand why paying for a party is so bad. There are so many other things he did that are much more worthy of censure or worse. Bringing the Olympics comes to mind.

What a schemer!!

Most of Japanese people are honest on commitments and feel shame when it's wrong. He has vowed many times when he was prime minister that it wasn't violation to Japan's strict political funding laws. Abe's secretary will go to prison and he is unharmed again. How long Japanese people will find honesty and fairness while a leader of country like him still showing that posture? Who believed on him still feels he is a standard of a leader? Well, fraudulent guys will still going on then.

Either corrupt as they come or stupidly naive!

Where did he think the money was coming from?

It wasn’t his own pocket was it-that’s for sure!

Abe says sorry 

Well, problems solved. I'm sure this will make up for everything.

I’d buy his story if he were a grandfather type in his 70’s but he was a minister in his prime.

You don’t get to be the leader in this country without paying attention to details.

quercetumToday  11:18 am JST

You don’t get to be the leader in this country without paying attention to details.

Exactly. He might have been useless as PM but I am sure he's savvy enough about dirty LDP backroom money politics to know exactly what was happening in his own office.

GeraldDec. 25  10:28 pm JST

The guy may not be flawless, but my never failing gut feeling tells me that he is a good, honourable man.

Not too sure what could give anyone that impression. Care to mention any particularly good or honourable things he's done?

The guy may not be flawless, but my never failing gut feeling tells me that he is a good, honourable man. To me he represented Japanese values better than quite a few others among his predecessors. Hate me if you wish.

kurisupisuDec. 25  03:19 pm JST

Either corrupt as they come or stupidly naive!

Where did he think the money was coming from?

I think he knew exactly where it was coming from. There have been so many of these kinds of scandals in the LDP and it's ridiculous to suppose that a party grandee like Abe didn't know what was going on. If he was as ignorant of his secretary's actions as he claimed, it's most likely because he was okay with it being arranged without anyone telling him.

Wow! Just to confirm, is it the first time in the world’s history a politician of such high rank admitting his mistakes publicly without arguing?

I am with you 'Reckless'

They are making big elephants out of small mice...lol No, this country has a lot of other and more relevant problems than talking about those financial ‘peanuts’. The strict rules , by the way stricter than in many other countries, are sufficient and effective. Have a look at it by the numbers. Even if someone sponsored legally or illegally some hundred or a thousand people with a little money, that still wouldn’t change election results at all. Other lately cases, for example, when a candidate paid 10000 yen or so to some hundred fans and supporters each, that has almost no influence on results. You would need a microscope to find any effect. In addition, the danger of being disqualified or that sponsorship or vote buying detected is much higher than percentage advantage during election. lol

No big deal - he said he is sorry. Move on.

Who will be a good leader of Japan then?

Despite all the criticism, I will not support anybody here if he wanted to become the prime minister of Japan. Easier said than done.

Shinzo Abe: The Survivor