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

Abe's third term endangered

While experts believe that investigations to the scandal would last for weeks or even months with Abe holding on to power, they pointed out that the protracted scandal could seriously hurt Abe's chances of securing a third term as LDP president in the September election and in turn his chances of becoming the longest-serving prime minister in post-war Japan, as criticism was building up inside the party.

LDP Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai has said that doctoring the documents was a serious problem that was beyond imagination and could not be explained simply as a mistake.

LDP lawmaker Seiichiro Murakami, a strong critic of Abe, has reportedly called for Abe to resign last week.

Several polls also showed that Abe has fallen behind his main rivals inside the party regarding whom the voters would like to elect as prime minister.

According to a Kyodo poll, Shigeru Ishiba, former defense minister, was supported by 25.4 percent of respondents, followed by Shinjiro Koizumi, son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, while Abe fell to the third from the first place in a February survey, with 21.7 percent supporting him.

Another poll by the Nippon TV also showed that Ishiba and Koizumi, with 24 and 21.2 percent of approval ratings, were far ahead of Abe's 14 percent.

Takakage Fujita, a political analyst and head of a Japanese civic group dedicated to upholding and developing the well-known Murayama Statement, said that if the Abe administration fails to apologize to the people sincerely, the approval rating for Abe's cabinet could still go down, and Abe's rivals inside the ruling party might take some actions (in the upcoming party president election).

The Murayama Statement was released by the then Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama on Aug. 15, 1995. In it, he apologized for the damage and suffering caused by Japan to its Asian neighbors during World War II.

Ukeru Magosaki, a former senior official with the Japanese foreign ministry, said that document tampering constitutes a crime under Japanese law and those associated with it should be held accountable.

He added that if Aso, a close ally of Abe and a key member of the Abe administration, steps down to take responsibility as the public calls for, it would significantly weaken the Abe government.

The resurgent scandals also trigger concerns over Abe becoming a lame duck in carrying out his major policies.