Abe ditches scandal-hit meat exec | 日本のニュースを英語で読むならジャパンタイムズウィークリー


	UPDATE: Saturday, June 12, 2010 The Japan Times Weekly 2006年11月25日号（バックナンバー）

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Abe ditches scandal-hit meat exec

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was quick Nov. 17 in trying to contain a potential political donation scandal stemming from Nov. 16 arrests of five pork traders in connection with a record ¥14 billion tariff-evasion case.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe AP PHOTO

An arrested Tokyo branch chief of a meat importer had donated ¥6 million to Abe's support groups over 12 years through this year.

On Nov. 17, Abe's office admitted receiving the donations but added that it returned the entire amount after the news broke.

Yoshihide Ishitani, 46, belongs to meat importer Sansui Bussan, based in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Ishitani was arrested along with the former head of meat wholesaler Kyochiku in connection with Kyochiku's alleged evasion of pork tariffs.

Abe said Nov. 17 at the Prime Minister's Official Residence: "In my recognition, the donation was dealt with in accordance with the law. But I've told my office staff to return the whole sum given by the firm involved in the case."

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