Japan's Finance Minister Aso has no intention of stepping down

The Japanese Finance Minister, Taro Aso, is speaking in the Japanese Parliament today and facing down calls for him to back away from his post amidst the government land sale scandal.

Key points:

FM Aso is embroiled in the ongoing scandal that is dragging the Japanese Parliament down this week, as news continues to leak out about the sale of government land at a steep discount to a school operator with personal ties to the Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, and the PM's wife, Akie Abe. The Finance Ministry of Japan forged documents involved in the land sale, and the Finance Ministry attempted to strike all mention of the PM or his wife. A growing furor from the opposition party within Japan's parliament is calling for Aso to step down from his post while the investigation and parliamentary debate takes place, but Taro Aso is staunchly refusing, stating that he will stay at his post and has no intention of quitting "at this time".