Japan PM Fumio Kishida may replace more embattled Cabinet ministers

Japanese PM Fumio Kishida has reportedly been considering swapping out some of his ministers in a bid to boost his approval ratings. PHOTO: REUTERS

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is battling low approval ratings, will replace a government minister for the fourth time since he created his current Cabinet in August, public broadcaster NHK reported on Monday.

Discussions on a replacement for Mr Kenya Akiba, minister responsible for overseeing the reconstruction of areas hit by Japan’s massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011, are still under way, NHK said.

NHK initially reported that Mr Akiba will be replaced by former financial services agency minister Tatsuya Ito, but later corrected that report to say a successor has not been picked.

Mr Akiba has battled accusations of being involved in violating election laws as well as having ties with the Unification Church.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s close links with the religious group, which critics say is a cult, were revealed after the killing of former premier Shinzo Abe and have been cited by survey respondents as one reason for Mr Kishida’s low approval ratings.

The Kyodo news agency reported on Friday that Mr Kishida has been considering swopping out some of his ministers in a bid to boost his approval ratings.

“All I can say is that we must make the necessary preparations for next year’s diet (Parliament) session. That’s all I can say,” Mr Kishida said on Monday when asked whether he planned to replace Mr Akiba.

The latter’s office said it had nothing to say on the matter when contacted for comment on the allegations.

Mr Kishida also plans to replace Ms Mio Sugita, his parliamentary vice-minister for internal affairs, Kyodo reported on Monday citing multiple unidentified government sources.

In early December, Ms Sugita retracted and apologised for a number of past comments she had made previously, including calling sexual minorities “unproductive”.

Mr Kishida has seen his Cabinet beset by scandals that have helped push his support rate lower, stoking speculation in local media such as the Sankei newspaper that he could reshuffle his Cabinet early in the new year.

In November, former internal affairs minister Minoru Terada, who had been under fire over several accounting and funding irregularities, was reportedly forced to resign from his role.

Before him, Mr Daishiro Yamagiwa and Mr Yasuhiro Hanashi also resigned from their respective economic revitalisation and justice portfolios.

Mr Yamagiwa quit over his ties to the controversial Unification Church, while Mr Hanashi left after criticism over remarks widely seen as making light of his role in authorising executions of death row inmates. REUTERS

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