TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Friday again rebuffed allegations that he made a donation to an educator at the center of an intensifying political scandal that has gripped the country. Yasunori Kagoike, a controversial nationalist school operator, said under oath Thursday he had received a one million yen ($9,000) donation from Abe, handed to him, he claimed, by the premier’s wife in 2015. “There is nothing at all like a one million yen transaction mentioned in the exchanges,” Abe told parliament, referring to the emails. “I disclosed all the emails to quash any misunderstandings,” Abe said, blaming Kagoike for disclosing “only part of the information” during his sworn testimony. Abe also denied putting political pressure on bureaucrats to favor Kagoike when he purchased the state land for his now scuttled plan to construct a primary school.

Source: Manila Times March 24, 2017 07:18 UTC