Abe faces questions about donations

For the first time, premier says he accepted payments from firms that received subsidies

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday that he accepted donations from firms that received government subsidies as he personally faced questions about potentially improper donations for the first time.

He has already lost three Cabinet members to scandals. Abe returned for a rare second term in 2012, pledging to reboot Japan's economy, and his ruling coalition cruised to another big election win in December. His support remains above 50 percent, high for a Japanese prime minister.