TOKYO -- Embattled Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori faced a new threat on Friday with confirmation that a long-rumored photo of him with a gangster really existed.
Top government spokesman Yasuo Fukuda acknowledged the existence of the photograph, taken several years ago, but denied Mori had any personal links to the gangster.
He said Mori has threatened legal action against a magazine that has the photograph if it goes ahead with publication of the picture.
The mass circulation magazine, the Shukan Gendai, issued a statement accusing the prime minister of abusing his power.
While the magazine did not confirm that it had the photograph it did say "For a prime minister to censor the contents of a magazine ahead of publication and bring pressure to bear must be said to be an abuse of power.
" Mori has previously been alleged to have gangster ties -- which he has denied -- and there have long been unsubstantiated rumors about such a photograph.
Political analysts said publication of the photograph would be seriously damaging to Mori, already unpopular among voters, and could be the incident that finally pushes him out of power.
Mori, picked in a back room deal last April after his predecessor suffered a fatal stroke, saw his popularity plunge after a series of verbal gaffes and the resignation of two cabinet ministers.
Last month, he barely survived an opposition-sponsored no-confidence vote after barons in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) quashed a rebellion by would-be reformers.
On Tuesday, Mori gave his cabinet a face lift, persuading two former prime ministers and other heavyweights to join in an effort to boost his tattered image and bolster his power base.
(Reuter)