Japan agriculture minister resigns amid scandal
The Japanese minister of agriculture has resigned after he was accused of receiving illegal funds while in office, dealing a major blow to the newly formed cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Abe on Monday accepted a letter of resignation by Koya Nishikawa, who served as Japan’s minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
The resignation is regarded as a huge blow to Abe’s much publicized overhaul plans for Japan’s agriculture sector nearly one month before he submits his reform package to the Japanese parliament.
Abe (pictured above) quickly appointed former Farming Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi to the post. The prime minister said the parliament’s time should not be wasted to examine the issue caused by what he said was Nishikawa's personal problems.
“Minister Nishikawa's intention is firm. As he said, parliamentary time, which should be used for policy deliberation, should not be wasted on his particular problems,” Abe told a news conference, offering his apology to the people over the “wrong appointment” of Nishikawa.
Hit by money scandals
Nishikawa has been hit by allegations of receiving funds from a group active in manufacturing sugar months after he granted the firm more than a billion yen in subsidies.
The issue of sugar is quite sensitive in Japan, as the country, along with United States, is engaged in intense talks with 10 other nations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership over the strategic staple.
The resigned minister is also accused of receiving similar donations in return for granting government subsidies to other companies.
Japanese politicians and government officials are usually embroiled in money scandals as the country lacks firm and strict rules for barring minor cases of bribery and pork barrel.
Two female members of Abe’s former cabinet had also resigned over misappropriation accusations.
MS/HMV/SS
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