TOKYO: Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday expressed his willingness to appear before the Diet, Japan’s parliament, for explanation about a scandal linked to state-funded annual cherry blossom parties.

“I will answer in good faith once the investigation produces a result,” Abe told reporters. “I will sincerely face the Diet.”

The country’s opposition parties had been demanding that the former prime minister be summoned to the Diet for explanation.

The ruling bloc is planning to accept the demand and have Abe face questions at a steering committee meeting. But the opposition is looking to grill the former leader in an open session, including by summoning him as a sworn witness. Such a witness could be charged for perjury if he or she gives false testimony.

“(Abe) lied at the Diet, so it is ideal that he speaks in a setting where he could be accused of perjury,” Yukio Edano, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said.
“We cannot accept (having Abe explain) in a way that is hidden from the people,” Jun Azumi, CDP parliamentary affairs chief, said.

Azumi added that the former prime minister should be summoned within this year.

“It is important that politicians suspected of wrongdoing fulfill their responsibility to explain,” Keiichi Ishii, secretary-general of Komeito, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s junior coalition partner, said. “I hope he explains thoroughly.”

It is suspected that the Abe side shouldered part of the costs for the events held on the eve of state-funded annual cherry blossom-viewing parties hosted by Abe in 2015 to 2019. The alleged spending was not recorded in political funds reports for the former prime minister.

JIJI Press