MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2020) Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has rejected a request from the opposition to question former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over alleged misuse of pubic funds for pay for parties during his tenure, media reported Tuesday.
A day prior, Japanese media outlets reported that Tokyo's public prosecutor questioned an aide over inconsistencies in paid bills for annual ceremonial functions hosted by Abe. the former prime minister's office is suspected of covering the shortfall of expenses for the dinners with public funds.
According to public broadcaster NHK, parliamentarian Hiroshi Moriyama, part of the Diet's budgetary committee from LDP, turned down a request from opposition lawmaker Jun Azumi to summon Abe to take questions from the committee. Moriyama argued that the prosecution has yet to make any announcements on the matter.
In August, Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister Abe resigned abruptly due to the recurrence of a chronic illness. The Diet promptly elevated Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga to head a new government. Abe, a life-long member of the LDP, is seen as political royalty in Japan with heavyweight political and military leaders on both sides of his family.
