TOKYO, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will attend special parliament sessions next week to answer questions on allegations that he had used his influence to facilitate a government decision to benefit a close friend, according to an agreement made by Abe's party and its main opposition on Wednesday.
According to the agreement between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the main opposition Democratic Party, budgetary committees of both chambers of the parliament will hold special sessions on the issue next week though the parliament is in recess.
Abe has been accused of using his influence to facilitate a government decision to approve the heavily -subsidized opening of a veterinary school in a university run by one of his friends in a government -designated special economic zone.
Although the prime minister has repeatedly denied the allegations, documents found at the education ministry indicated that officials at the Cabinet Office had pressured the ministry on the decision, saying that it was "the intent of the prime minister."
Support rate for Abe's cabinet has been declining sharply recently over this and a number of other scandals implicating him and some of his cabinet members, as well as the ruling coalition's unorthodox way of forcing through the controversial "conspiracy" legislation in the parliament.
A survey released by Jiji Press last week showed that the cabinet's support rate has plunged to a record low of 29.9 percent, first time below 30 percent since the prime minister returned to office in December 2012.
In the survey, 67.3 percent of the respondents said they were not convinced by Abe's explanations about the brewing favoritism scandal, while only 11.5 percent said the opposite.
