THE city of Imabari is known for its medieval castle (pictured), overlooking the Inland Sea, which separates Shikoku and Honshu, two of Japan’s four main islands. Recently, however, another landmark has attracted attention: an imposing college campus rising from the hills above the city. Built on public land and jolted to life with a government grant of ¥9.6bn ($86m), the half-finished veterinary school has been dogged by claims that its political midwife was Shinzo Abe, the prime minister.
A former official alleges that Mr Abe helped a college chum secure the education ministry’s approval for the new school—a claim the prime minister denies. Opposition politicians say he called an election on October 22nd in part to evade further questions on the subject in parliament. Yet the saga does not seem to have turned many in Imabari against the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which Mr Abe leads. “I think many people will go with the...Continue reading
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