A scandal centered on allegations that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe improperly wielded his influence to help a close friend cut through government red tape has roared back to life after seeming to have died down last year.
And this time, Abe appears to be in a far more difficult position. Multiple public documents — produced by different parties — have emerged. Together they boost the credibility of allegations of favoritism benefiting school operator Kake Gakuen.
During a Lower House Budget Committee session on Wednesday, opposition lawmakers made a show of brandishing two documents produced separately in 2015 by the Ehime Prefectural Government and the Imabari Municipal Government.