Japan's Abe mired in cronyism scandal, facing increasing calls for cabinet's resignation

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been under fire amid a deepening cronyism and document-tampering scandal, which has drastically brought down his cabinet's approval ratings, while people staged protests across Japan calling for the cabinet's resignation.

A cut-price land deal scandal implicating Abe and his wife Akie first came to light in February last year, when local media reported that Moritomo Gakuen, a private school operator, bought a 8,770-square-meter piece of land in June 2016 in Toyonaka, Osaka prefecture, for 1.26 million US dollars, equivalent to only 14 percent of its appraisal price.

The scandal, after fading for some time since the ruling bloc's victory in the upper house election last October, has drawn renewed attention recently after local media reported that some finance ministry documents linked to the dubious deal appeared to have been revised in an apparent attempt to cover up the scandal.

Experts pointed out that the protracted scandal could seriously dampen Abe's chances of securing a third term as LDP (Liberal Democratic Party)President and in turn his chances of becoming the longest-serving prime minister in post-war Japan.