Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sacked his internal affairs minister on Sunday 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.
“I apologise for the series of resignations,” Kishida said. “I'm aware of my heavy responsibility for their appointment.”
He told reporters that he will announce Terada's replacement on Monday.
Terada showed up at the Prime Minister's Office and told reporters that he had submitted his resignation Kishida, though he did not say he was asked to do so.
“I made up my mind because I must not interfere with parliamentary discussion of key legislations because of my problems,” Terada said.
Terada, who has been grilled over the scandal for over a month, said his feelings were swayed between his hope to contribute to the Kishida Cabinet while being concerned about causing trouble because of his funding problems.
Kishida summoned Terada to his office and had him submit the resignation, NHK national television said.
Kishida, when asked last Friday about a possible dismissal, did not defend Terada and only said he was going to make his own decision.
Kishida said Sunday he believed Terada submitted his resignation in response to the comment he made in Bangkok after wrapping up the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
Terada had said he did not break any law, promised to fix the accounting issues and showed determination to stay on.
Opposition lawmakers said funding problems for the internal affairs minister, whose job is to oversee political funds, are serious and demanded his resignation.
Recent media surveys also showed the majority of respondents supported Terada's resignation.