Japan's Abe Apologizes Again as Scandals Deepen Mistrust
- Says problem with Iraq troop logs ‘extremely regrettable’
- Opposition lawmakers question government’s grip on military
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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologized in parliament over the second government documents scandal in a month, after an opinion poll showed the latest controversy had inflamed public disapproval.
The most recent scandal relates to Japanese troops’ logs from Iraq, where they were dispatched starting in 2003 to show support for the U.S.-led military campaign. Opposition lawmakers have said Japan Self-Defense Force officers’ failure to inform the defense minister that they had found such documents throws doubt on civilian control over the military.