Justice Minister quits following yakuza, money scandals
TOKYO. October 23. KAZINFORM Justice Minister Keishu Tanaka resigned Tuesday in the face of scandals over his political funds and close ties with a yakuza organized crime syndicate, dealing a fresh blow to embattled Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.
The government said Tanaka had to quit for health reasons. But his departure only about three weeks after being appointed has prompted the opposition to increase their attacks on Noda in the run-up to the general election, to be held by next summer, Kyodo reports.
"It's a health problem. It's beyond anybody's control," top government spokesman Osamu Fujimura told a press conference, announcing the resignation of Tanaka, a veteran of Noda's ruling Democratic Party of Japan.
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