Japan finance minister Taro Aso may skip G20 meeting as cronyism scandal plagues Abe’s government

Both the president and his close ally are under pressure to resign after it was revealed his government altered records of a discounted sale of state-owned land to a school operator with ties to the leader’s wife

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Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso has said he may not attend a Group of 20 meeting next week because of a cronyism scandal in the government. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 5:28pm, 13 Mar 2018Updated: 5:28pm, 13 Mar 2018

Japanese finance chief Taro Aso was preparing to skip a Group of 20 finance leaders’ gathering in Buenos Aires next week, officials said on Tuesday, with the minister fighting to survive a cronyism scandal that has paralysed parliament.

Premier Shinzo Abe and Aso, his close ally, are under pressure over the finance ministry’s admission that it had altered records of a discounted sale of state-owned land to a school operator with ties to Abe’s wife.

The suspicion of a cover-up has rocked the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and could dash Abe’s hopes of winning a third term as party leader at a vote in September. Losing the party leadership would ruin Abe’s chances of becoming Japan’s longest-serving premier.

Opposition lawmakers are calling for Aso to step down to take responsibility, and some analysts believe his resignation could be inevitable.

When asked whether he may skip the G20 on March 19-20, Aso said on Tuesday the decision will depend on the “present parliamentary situation”.