The office of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday it has sent a letter of protest to the weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun for falsely reporting that Abe vomited blood.
Shukan Bunshun said in an article published Wednesday that Abe rushed to the bathroom during a meeting on the night of June 30 and vomited blood, and that he had a stomachache while being driven home on July 1.
The letter criticized the magazine for "an extremely malicious act of slandering by carrying groundless reports and giving a false impression to its readers," urging it to retract the article and issue a correction.
Abe's office said it is also considering taking legal action against Shukan Bunshun.
Shukan Bunshun's editorial department said what is written in the article is its position, according to media reports.