Japan’s finance ministry on Monday acknowledged that documents in a suspected cronyism scandal had been doctored.
The ministry said a senior ruling party official made this known as pressure mounts on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Ally, Finance Minister Taro Aso, over the case.
Abe, now in his sixth year in office, had tried to put behind him questions over the sale of state-owned land at a huge discount to a school operator with ties to his wife, Akie, behind him.
His ratings had rebounded from a slump last year, but doubts have revived with a series of fresh revelations.
Abe has repeatedly denied he or his wife did favors for school operator Moritomo Gakuen, which bought the land, and had said he would resign if evidence were found that they had.
The issue last year sharply eroded Abe’s popularity.
Suspicions of a cover-up could slash Abe’s ratings and dash his…
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