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Ex-Japan PM Shinzo Abe may be summoned to parliament in funding case

WION Web Team
Tokyo, JapanUpdated: Dec 24, 2020, 02:12 PM IST
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Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, died after being shot twice on Friday while giving an election campaign speech. Photograph:(Reuters)

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According to Reuters, the ruling bloc is arranging to summon Abe on Friday for questioning at steering committees. It is also considering whether to put the sessions online to open them to the public.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may be summoned to parliament for questioning amid a row over a possible violation of election funding laws.

According to Reuters, the ruling bloc is arranging to summon Abe on Friday for questioning at steering committees. It is also considering whether to put the sessions online to open them to the public.

Abe stepped down from his post citing ill health in September.

He is under scanner on suspicion that his office helped cover the costs of dinner parties for supporters -- a violation of funding laws.

Abe had denied the accusations when questioned in parliament last year. He had appeared for voluntary questioning on Monday about the issue and again denied his involvement.

Abe will give a news conference on Thursday from 18:00 local time (0900 GMT), the Reuters report said.

Prosecutors had been building a case against the 61-year-old over unreported funds involving as much as 40 million yen ($386,210).

The issue risks hurting current Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who was Abe's right-hand man during his 2012-2020 tenure and defended him in parliament.