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Former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Questioned by Prosecutors

Japanese former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was interrogated by prosecutors in Tokyo on Monday over alleged malpractice around dinner parties for significant donors of his ruling party LDP, insiders say, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

 

The parties would have been partly paid for with tax money while donations to Abe’s party would have been concealed.

Prosecutors would investigate whether any of Abe’s associates failed to report income and expenses resulting from the dinner parties in reports of political donations. Abe was asked to come and tell us voluntarily, whether he was aware of the course of events and what he knows. Abe would deny having anything to do with the alleged violations.

In total, 14 million yen in income and expenditure would not have been declared. In addition, 8 million yen of costs were paid by the prime minister’s office.

Abe’s successor, Prime Minister Yoshide Suga, is also worried about the matter. Suga, as cabinet secretary at the time, is seen as Abe’s right-hand man at the time.

The current prime minister has been struggling with his popularity anyway in recent weeks. Support for Suga among the Japanese is quickly fading due to his corona policy.

Recently, he came under fire for organizing and attending festive end-of-year gatherings, while he had urged the Japanese to avoid such parties during the current corona wave.

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