Japan Press Weekly

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2018 June 20 - 26 [POLITICS]

Kake Gakuen president denies allegations of Abe’s favoritism in new veterinary school plan

The president of the Kake Gakuen school corporation, Kake Kotaro, on June 19 at a press conference denied meeting with Prime Minister Abe regarding the opening of a new veterinary school.

Kake, who is Abe’s longtime friend, kept silent for 15 months after the allegation surfaced that he obtained PM Abe’s help in regard to the setting up of a veterinary medicine department at a Kake Gakuen university.

At the press conference held in Okayama City where the school corporation is based, Kake referred to the February 25, 2015 meeting with PM Abe that was mentioned in an Ehime prefectural government document. The document states that in the meeting, Kake explained his plan to open a veterinary school and PM Abe expressed his support. However, Kake denied the meeting, saying, “I have no memory of such a meeting and there are no records of such a meeting.”

Kake said that the meeting with PM Abe was a fabricated story which a Kake Gakuen official told to the Ehime Prefectural government with the aim of speeding up the start of the veterinary school project. He then announced that as a measure to take responsibility for the matter, he will take a 10% pay cut for 12 months.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on June 21 before the press in the Diet building commented on the press conference by the Kake Gakuen president.

Shii cited Kake’s “fabricated story” remark and pointed out, “If Kake’s remark is true, it means that Kake Gakuen used the name of PM Abe and created a fiction in a bid to receive preferential treatment from the state administration. This is a serious problem that needs immediate attention.” Shii stressed that Kake wants to draw a curtain on the matter with his 10% pay cut, but such an act suggests that he is attempting to conceal the fact that he talked with PM Abe about the vet school project. Shii said that it is necessary to hold intensive Diet deliberations and have Kake and other key persons testify under oath before the Diet.

Past related articles:
> Ehime Prefecture’s records cast suspicion on PM Abe about false statement regarding Kake veterinary school [May 22, 2018]
> Notes taken by Ehime Pref. official: Kake Gakuen new faculty is matter of interest to Prime Minister [April 11, 2018]
> JCP Koike calls for thorough investigation of ‘Kake’ scandal in special Diet session [November 15, 2017]
> Suspicion of nepotism surrounding private university operated by Abe’s friend [May 21, 2017]