Abe waits for 3rd-party probe into Kansai Electric scandal

October 9, 2019

Tokyo--Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday that his government will wait and see the results of an investigation by an independent third-party panel into a high-profile money scandal involving Kansai Electric Power Co. <9503>.

"It is indispensable for outsiders to thoroughly uncover the whole truth of the scandal," Abe said at a meeting of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament.

Kansai Electric "needs to make efforts for restoring customer trust by taking countermeasures, including on its management problems," Abe said.

The scandal led to the resignation of Kansai Electric Chairman Makoto Yagi, who stepped down on Wednesday, and President Shigeki Iwane, who will resign by late December after a third-party panel submits a report.

Also at the meeting, Abe said he is very worried that many people have been injured in violent clashes in Hong Kong between police and antigovernment protesters.

"I want the parties concerned to seek a solution through self-restraint and peaceful dialogue," the prime minister said.

"I strongly hope that the situation in Hong Kong will be settled at an early date and stability will be ensured," Abe said. Japan will continue paying close attention to the situation there, he added. Jiji Press