"Abe's Resignation: More to Cover Up Scandal Than Health Reasons?"

A Japanese Professor Publishes Column in The New York Times
Facing Difficulties Due to COVID-19 Response and Various Scandals

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] In Japan, an analysis has emerged that although former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's sudden resignation citing health reasons was abrupt, it was not surprising. It is suggested that he resigned from his position as prime minister using health reasons to avoid responsibility amid various scandals.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announcing his resignation on the 28th
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Koichi Nakano, a professor at Japan's Chuo University, published a column in The New York Times on the 30th (local time) titled "Abe resigned but left behind a trail of scandals." Professor Nakano pointed out, "Abe's decision was surprising, but on the other hand, not surprising." The issue of Abe's health surfaced weeks ago, and during that time, former officials and Abe's close aides claimed that he was overworked and unable to rest properly for several days. Regarding these claims, Professor Nakano said, "This explanation is strange," adding, "Abe did not appear to be overworked recently. Rather, many Japanese people felt that Abe did not respond adequately to crises such as the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19)."

Professor Nakano raised the possibility that Abe's resignation was more related to scandals and inadequate COVID-19 response measures than the official reason of health deterioration due to overwork.

He pointed out that Abe rarely appeared after the COVID-19 outbreak and that the measures he proposed were inadequate. Furthermore, Abe failed to provide proper explanations regarding the various scandals that had continuously surfaced over the years.

In fact, Abe was continuously embroiled in allegations related to Moritomo Gakuen, Kake Gakuen, and the cherry blossom viewing party. The Moritomo case, in particular, sparked controversy due to allegations of preferential treatment and even cover-ups. The cherry blossom viewing party was also criticized for privatizing public events by inviting Abe’s local constituency figures to government-hosted events. During this process, a responsible public official took their own life.

Professor Nakano listed facts such as Abe rarely holding press conferences from June 18 of this year until his announcement of resignation, suggesting that he may have been unable to meet the demands of the public.

Japan’s Asahi Shimbun also pointed out that during Abe’s tenure, ten cabinet ministers faced resignation crises, and although Abe expressed deep responsibility, he rarely provided proper explanations to the public. The newspaper expressed concern that Abe’s sudden resignation announcement might prevent proper investigation of the scandal allegations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.