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Scandal-hit minister quits
01/08/2007 11:13 - (SA)
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| Japan's Agriculture Minister Norihiko Akagi listens to reporters' questions during a press conference after resigning. (Koji Sasahara, AP) |
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Tokyo - Japan's farm minister resigned on Wednesday, the first casualty in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's scandal-plagued cabinet after a major election defeat that has raised calls for a change in government.
Abe has defied opinion polls that say many voters want him to quit as well, arguing that Sunday's election blow showed anger over the scandals surrounding his administration but not his conservative agenda.
Farm minister Norihiko Akagi, 48, becomes one of the shortest-serving members of a Japanese cabinet in memory. He took office just two months ago after his predecessor killed himself amid a funding scandal.
But in his short time in office Akagi was embroiled in his own set of money troubles, raising further questions about Abe's choice of ministers.
"There were various reports about me during the upper house election campaign. It is an undisputed fact that these were partly responsible for the defeat of the ruling coalition," Akagi said after resigning.
Bandages
Akagi also attracted unwanted attention 10 days before the election when he showed up at a cabinet meeting with large bandages covering his face.
He said he had a skin irritation, but media ridiculed him, saying that - like Abe's cabinet - he looked beaten up.
"I was chastised by many people for not appropriately explaining my illness. This also affected the election results and I apologise," said Akagi, who also showed reporters a stack of receipts in a bid to explain past controversies.
Akagi is the third cabinet minister to resign since Abe took office in September. The prime minister said Tuesday he wanted to "freshen up" his cabinet line-up that included Akagi.
Newspaper polls published on Wednesday showed voter disapproval of the Abe cabinet has grown to around 60% after the election, the highest level in his 10-month term.
- AFP
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