Japan justice minister resigns in election payments scandal

Japan's justice minister resigned Thursday over election payment allegations involving his wife, also a lawmaker, and about his own reported gift-giving, becoming the second Cabinet minister to step down in a week.

Katsuyuki Kawai's resignation and that of the trade minister last Friday are an embarrassment to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government, which has been plagued by a series of gaffes that have prompted public anger.

In his nearly seven years in office, Abe has managed to shake off various scandals, and support ratings for his Cabinet have been generally stable, in part because of a weak opposition and voter indifference.

Abe told reporters he accepted the resignation submitted by Kawai, who said he did not want to cause trouble for the government's justice policies because of the scandal.

Abe appointed Masako Mori, a lawyer-turned-lawmaker who previously served as minister in charge of addressing Japan's declining birth rate, as new justice minister.

"I decided to respect his decision ... I was the one who appointed Mr. Kawai and I deeply feel my responsibility for causing this result," Abe said.

"I offer my deep apologies to the people." Kawai denied he or his wife did anything wrong.

"I believe both my wife and I carried out our election campaigns by abiding by law," Kawai said.

"I will thoroughly investigate the case and fulfill my accountability."
But Tetsuro Fukuyama, secretary general of main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said Kawai's resignation "immediately after he was strongly suspected ... is tantamount to admitting his wrongdoings."
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, who was seen close to the two former ministers, said "We must accept severe criticisms from the public over the scandals and get a grip on ourselves."
The Weekly Bunshun tabloid magazine reported that Kawai's wife, Anri, is alleged to have paid her staff allowances exceeding legal limits, in what the magazine called "election staff bribery."