Japan’s prime minister sacks 3rd minister in a month

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has sacked his internal affairs minister over funding irregularities in a blow to his scandal-prone Cabinet that has already lost two ministers in one month. Internal Affairs Minister Minoru Terada has been under fire over several accounting and funding irregularities. In one, he acknowledged that one of his support groups submitted accounting records carrying a dead person’s signature. Terada said he resigned because his scandals should not hold up parliamentary debate on key legislations. He earlier said he did not break any law and was determined to stay on. Media surveys show the majority of respondents supported Terada’s resignation while support for Kishida’s government fell to just above 30%, lowest since he took office in October 2021.