Japan Trade Minister resigns amid election law violation scandal

Following accusations of violating the election law, Japanese Trade Minister Isshu Sugawara resigned on October 25. Sugawara took up the key post a month ago and was overlooking a trade dispute with neighboring South Korea. Hiroshi Kajiyama will succeed Sugawara taking over the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the media after accepting the resignation. Sugawara was accused by the media for having given goodies such as expensive melons and crabs and offering condolence money to the family of a supporter in his constituency. Such gifting is against the laws of Japanese laws. 

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Sugawara resigns following allegations

"I bear responsibility for his appointment and I apologize to the people for causing a situation like this," Abe told the media at his office. 

Sugawara, 57, tendered his resignation just before he was to face questions from opposition lawmakers about the vote-buying allegations. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told the media on Thursday that Sugawara will have to give an explanation for his actions. The same was reiterated by a lot of people from the opposition. Weeks ago, Abe added him to the Cabinet in a reshuffling prompted by the July election where the ruling coalition secured a comfortable majority. The former trade minister denied paying cash to voters but was not clear while giving his statement about the gifts delivered to his supporters in the Nerima district.

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Speaking on his decision to resign, Sugawara said that he doesn't want his problems to slow down Parliament deliberations.

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The trade dispute between Japan and South Korea

Hiroshi Kajiyama was earlier in charge of revitalizing local economies in Abe's cabinet. He will now lead trade talks with Seoul once he accepts the new appointment. Tokyo tightened export controls on materials vital for South Korean chipmakers and then dropped Seoul from a list of countries eligible for fast-track exports in 2019. This has led to a bitter trade dispute between the two countries. Japan's move against South Korea came after South Korea’s top court last October ordered some Japanese firms to compensate Koreans forced to work in their wartime mines and factories. On Thursday, the countries' Prime Ministers Abe and Lee Nak-yon agreed on the importance of cooperating on North Korea and other issues, seeking to rebuild relations.

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(With inputs from agencies)