Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came under fire from nearly all sides yesterday as political party heads squared off in a debate on the eve of campaigning for upper house elections that will critically test his faltering government.
The swirl of scandals that has enveloped Abe's government was a top focus of the political sparring, as opposition parties seek to gain ground and Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party tries to salvage waning support with less than three weeks before the elections.
The main opposition Democratic Party targeted Abe's handling of a scandal resulting from the loss of pension records for millions of retirees, while the Social Democratic Party criticized Abe's push to revise the country's pacifist Constitution and give Japan's military a greater international profile.
"The upcoming elections are a vote of confidence on the pension issue," said Ichiro Ozawa, head of the Democratic Party. "The upcoming vote is the last chance to rebuild Japan."
Abe's popularity has dipped to all-time lows in recent weeks and a humiliating loss in the July 29 vote could prompt party leaders to demand he step down.
The official campaigning kicks off today.
The upper house is the less powerful chamber in Japan's two-house parliament. While the lower house can pass some legislation without the upper house's consent, the upper house still is able to veto some legislation.
The polls are for half of the 242-seat chamber. Abe's Liberal Democratic Party controls the chamber with a coalition partner for a combined 132 seats.
Aside from the debate over policy, Abe is also under pressure over a series of scandals that led to three Cabinet ministers being replaced.
In the most recent embarrassment, Abe has been forced to deny allegations that agriculture minister Norihiko Akagi reported ?90 million (US$73,170) in office expenses over the past decade for a defunct political office registered at his parents' address.
Akagi had just taken office to replace Toshikatsu Matsuoka, who committed suicide in May, just hours before he was to face questioning in Japan's parliament over several money scandals.
That came after administrative reform minister Genichiro Sata resigned in December over alleged misuse of political funds.
Last month also saw the resignation of defense minister Fumio Kyuma, who suggested the 1945 US nuclear bombings on Japan were justified.
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