Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe suffered a double setback on Monday with the resignations of two female Cabinet Ministers over claims they misused political funds, dealing a blow to his proclaimed gender reform drive.
Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi and Midori Matsushima, justice Minister, fell on their swords after days of allegations that they had misspent money in what opponents insisted was an attempt to buy votes.
Their loss reduces to three the number of women in the cabinet, after Abe’s widely-praised move in September to promote a record-tying five to his administration.
“I’m the person who appointed the two. As prime minister, I take responsibility for this and deeply apologise for this situation,” Abe told reporters, adding he would replace them both within the day.
The double resignations are the first significant problem for Abe since he swept to power in December 2012, ending years of fragile Governments that swapped Prime Ministers on an annual basis.
While commentators generally agreed that this would not be the end of the hard-charging premier, who has set his sights on reinvigorating Japan’s lacklustre economy, they cautioned that he was now vulnerable.