Japan: a new resignation of a minister weakens the Kishida government

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a press conference at the Prime Minister's official residence in Tokyo, December 16, 2022. AP - David Mareuil

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In Japan, a fourth minister, at the heart of political and financial scandals, was forced to resign in three months.

A dismissal which weakens the government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, which is increasingly unpopular in the opinion polls.

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Prime Minister Fumio Kishida does not choose his ministers on the basis of their competence and honesty, but because of their belonging to the most influential factions within the conservative party, explains our correspondent in Tokyo,

.

This in order not to make enemies.

Kenya Akiba, the Minister for Reconstruction, was responsible for revitalizing the regions bruised since March 2011 by the giant tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear accident.

He acknowledged that his wife and mother had for years collected funds from political groups in the form of rent payments.

He is also accused of illegally paying assistants during an election campaign.

Kenya Akiba resigns, he says, so as not to delay, in January 2023, the debates in Parliament on the adoption of the budget for the next fiscal year.

But he denies " 

 ".

Repeated scandals

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Mio Sugita also resigned on Tuesday 27 December.

This far-right politician had been caught up in recent weeks by discriminatory comments she had made in the past about the LGBT + community and ethnic minorities in Japan.

In November, Justice Minister Yasuhiro Hanashi was sacked for complaining that he only got media attention when it came to signing an execution order for a death row inmate.

►Also read: In Japan, resignation of a third member of the Kishida government

These repeated scandals weaken Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his cabinet who, according to the polls, obtain barely 30% favorable opinions.

This level is considered dangerous for the future of any government in Japan.

Last summer, the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe revealed links

, also known as the "Moon sect".

The alleged assassin accused Shinzo Abe of being close to this sect which would have ruined his family.

At the end of October, the Minister of Economic Revitalization Daishiro Yamagiwa was sacked for his relations with the sect.

These revelations explain more than anything the unpopularity of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his team.

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• Japan

• Fumio Kishida

• Justice