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Full-blown Morimoto scandal corners Japanese PM

Posted March. 20, 2017 07:08,   

Updated March. 20, 2017 07:16

한국어

The incumbent Shinzo Abe administration in Japan is in constant fear, due to the dangerous mouth” of an avid fan and also an ultranationalist. The Morimoto scandal entered into a new phase as Yasunori Kagoike, president of Moritomo Gakuen, made a shocking statement that he recently “received 1 million yen (around 10.1 Mil. won) of contributions from Prime Minister Abe.”

Suspicions magnified as doubts on handing over a national land at a giveaway price to the troubled educational foundation gained spotlight on Feb. 9. Furthermore, doubts heightened as it was found that the First Lady Akie Abe was the honorary headmaster of this school. Public opinion was strongly against the Abe administration when reports told that the foundation conducted a far-right education by forcing kindergarten students to memorize the Imperial Edict on Education of the militarism era and demand them to declare statements that “we fully support Prime Minister Abe.”

President Kagoike’s recent statement that the prime minister contributed a lump sum of donation through his wife indeed is created a stir. While aides of Prime Minister are denying such arguments by claiming the suspicions “are not facts,” the opposition party is continuing to heighten pressure on Abe that he should resign when suspicions become reality.

At a National Assembly hearing on Feb. 17, Abe stated that he will “resign from both prime minister and assemblyman positions if such scandals found to be related to my wife and myself” at a period when the “Morimoto scandal” first incurred. Against this backdrop, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party which shunned demands for summoning President Kagoike also agreed to summon him on Thursday.

It seems that Abe will be significantly influenced by what President Kagoike will say at the National Assembly on Thursday. He already leaked to his acquaintances that he has several weapons to attack the troubled prime minister.



Young-A Soh sya@donga.com