How long will Japanese Prime Minister Mori last?
Only a month after the fragile Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) coalition was returned to office in the June 25 Japanese election, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and his cabinet are engulfed by a corruption scandal. Timed to coincide with the opening of parliament, Asahi Shimbun published reports on Friday that Financial Reconstruction Commission chairman Kimitaka Kuze accepted up to 210 million yen ($US1.9 million) in advisory fees from the Mitsuibishi Trust and Banking Group between 1983 and 1996. Further allegations were made Saturday that he was offered 100 million yen in 1991 by construction company Daikyo. By Sunday he had been forced to resign. Mori could be next. Yukio Hatoyama, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, stated: “The premier is gravely responsible for appointing him”. Mori knew of the allegations before selecting Kuze for a cabinet position on July 4. The corruption scandal follows weeks of attacks on Mori, Kuze and the Financial Reconstruction Commiss
