Fund scandal hits Abe's right-hand man
Tuesday, 21 August 2007
TOKYO, Aug 20 (AFP): Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki said Monday he had dismissed a staff member for embezzlement in the latest dirty money case for embattled Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government.
Abe's party suffered a major election defeat last month following a raft of scandals. Three of his ministers have quit over allegations of financial wrongdoing or gaffes, and another killed himself.
Shiozaki, whose position makes him Abe's right-hand man and spokesman for his government, said a staffer in his constituency embezzled 6.2 million yen (54,600 dollars) and duplicated receipts in a 2005 spreadsheet to cover it.
Shiozaki, a US-educated former central bank official seen as a young face in the party, said his office dismissed the staffer Sunday after the two-year-old case came to light.
Abe's party suffered a major election defeat last month following a raft of scandals. Three of his ministers have quit over allegations of financial wrongdoing or gaffes, and another killed himself.
Shiozaki, whose position makes him Abe's right-hand man and spokesman for his government, said a staffer in his constituency embezzled 6.2 million yen (54,600 dollars) and duplicated receipts in a 2005 spreadsheet to cover it.
Shiozaki, a US-educated former central bank official seen as a young face in the party, said his office dismissed the staffer Sunday after the two-year-old case came to light.