In Japan, Shinzo Abe’s ‘cherry blossom’ scandal has soured his legacy – but Suga stands to benefit, analysts say

Name: Japan approves record US$52 billion defence budget
Uploaded: 2020-12-28T10:00:12.000Z
Duration: 1 min 29 s
Description: Japan approves record US$52 billion defence budget

After former prime minister’s admission of financial irregularities while in office, experts believe his hopes of a back-seat leadership role, particularly in foreign policy, are over

But his fall from grace could end up strengthening the position of PM Yoshihide Suga, who has risen above bad press affecting the ruling Liberal Democratic Party

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Former prime minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a House of Representatives committee session in Tokyo on Thursday about allegations his camp illegally paid for dinner receptions attended by his supporters. Photo: Kyodo

Julian Ryall

Published: 6:00pm, 28 Dec 2020Updated: 10:08pm, 28 Dec 2020

Even though he has avoided direct blame, any hope former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe had of playing a role in shaping the nation’s political future may have died with the snowballing scandal involving the illicit funding of events for his followers.

It also means that the longest-serving political leader in Japanese history is likely to be best remembered for financial irregularities and a debilitating illness in the waning months of his nearly eight years in office.

And while a summary indictment of Abe’s personal aide for irregularities in political funding reports – which covered up illegal subsidies for dinner parties he hosted – will certainly tarnish the reputation of the Liberal Democratic Party, analysts believe that Yoshihide Suga, who took over from Abe as prime minister in September, may emerge in a stronger position than before.

Abe appeared in the Diet last week to apologise for the indictment of his secretary, Hiroyuki Haikawa, on suspicion of violating the Political Funds Control Law. Despite repeated previous denials, Abe admitted that his political support group had paid a portion of expenses from various events and had attempted to conceal the illegal transactions in official reports.

Yet prosecutors have decided not to pursue formal charges against Abe on the grounds that there would be insufficient evidence to secure a conviction, even while local media reports suggest that he was less than truthful on the matter on at least 118 occasions.

“Even though [the financial irregularities] took place without my knowledge, I am keenly aware of my moral responsibility,” Abe said in the Diet. “I deeply regret it and offer my sincerest apologies to the people.”

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Japan approves record US$52 billion defence budget

He added that he understood the affair has “undermined the public’s trust in politics”.