TOKYO: Japan's justice minister resigned on Friday, becoming the second minister to leave the cabinet over a scandal in less than a month, as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida struggles to stem his sliding approval rating.
Kishida's support has slumped to the 30% level in many recent polls, close to a danger zone that would make it hard for him to promote his agenda.
The justice minister, Yasuhiro Hanashi, has come under widespread criticism over comments reported in the media in which he made light of his duties, specifically signing off on executions, which he referred to as "tedious".
"I tendered my resignation to the prime minister," Hanashi told reporters, referring to his comments about the death penalty.
Earlier, Hanashi, a member of Kishida's faction of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was reported to have suggested there was little political advantage to his cabinet post and that he only made the news for "approving an execution in the morning".
Japan carries out capital punishment by hanging and does not inform prisoners until the morning of the day of their execution, a policy that rights groups have criticised for decades.
Hanashi apologised on Thursday for the comments and told parliament that he "took them back".
Hanashi is likely to be replaced by Ken Saito, a former agriculture minister, media said.
The outcry over his Hanashi's comments follows widespread public criticism of the government over ruling party links to the Unification Church, a group some critics call a cult.
Kishida has struggled to overcome revelations of deep and longstanding ties between the ruling party and the church in following the July assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The suspected killer has said his mother was bankrupted by the church and has blamed Abe for promoting it. The LDP has acknowledged many lawmakers have ties to the church but that there is no organisational link to the party.
Economic revitalisation minister Daishiro Yamagiwa resigned on Oct. 24 due to his ties to the religious group, but Kishida came under fire for what voters saw as his delayed and clumsy handling of the situation.
Further damage for Kishida has come from Internal Affairs Minister Minoru Terada, who has been embroiled in a political funds documentation scandal amid calls that he, too, resign.
A recent economic support plan has also failed to boost Kishida's ratings.
Kishida had been due to travel to Cambodia on Friday for a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) but he put off his departure until Saturday, the foreign ministry said. It did not say why.
Reuters
Fri Nov 11 2022
![Japan's justice minister resigns after death penalty quip Japan's justice minister resigns after death penalty quip](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-05/61651741549_FumioKishida.jpg)
Kishida's support has slumped to the 30% level in many recent polls, close to a danger zone that would make it hard for him to promote his agenda. - REUTERS/Filepic
Jenayah: Polis sahkan suspek teman lelaki Nur Farah Kartini
Lelaki yang ditahan polis bagi membantu siasatan berhubung penemuan mayat Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, adalah teman lelakinya.
Suspek kes kematian Nur Farah Kartini direman tujuh hari
Seorang penjawat awam yang dikaitkan dengan penemuan mayat Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, direman selama tujuh hari bagi membantu siasatan kes tersebut.
[TERKINI] Pan Gon bakal umum letak jawatan hari ini?
Tidak ada maklumat lanjut berkaitan sidang media berkenaan walaupun desas desus mengatakan ia melibatkan kepimpinan tertinggi FAM atau barisan kejurulatihan skuad Harimau Malaya?
Bukan masa sesuai untuk perkenalkan semula GST - Amir Hamzah
Menteri Kewangan II, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan berkata bukan masa sesuai untuk perkenal semula GST. Katanya, kerajaan hanya akan perkenalkan cukai yang tidak memberi kesan kepada golongan rentan.
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
![Anda kini boleh uji iOS 18 Public Beta Anda kini boleh uji iOS 18 Public Beta](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41721100842_iOSPublicBeta.jpg)
Anda kini boleh uji iOS 18 Public Beta
Walaupun iOS 18 Public Beta sedia dimuat turun, ia masih lagi dalam peringkat pembangunan dan ujian.
Saya 'pelik' soalan YB Hulu Terengganu - Timbalan Menteri KPDN
Timbalan Menteri KPDN, Fuziah Salleh pelik dengan soalan YB Hulu Terengganu, Datuk Rosol Wahid yang mengaitkan harga barang naik dan subsidi diesel antara faktor kekalahan PH di Sungai Bakap.
#SisiTVParlimen #AWANInews
#SisiTVParlimen #AWANInews
PKPS 2.0: LHDN kutip RM512.6 juta - Amir Hamzah
Menteri Kewangan II, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan berkata LHDN sudah mengutip RM512.6 juta melalui Program Khas Pengakuan Sukarela (PKPS) 2.0 yang bermula 6 Jun 2023 hingga 31 Mei lalu.
#SisiTVParlimen #AWANInews
#SisiTVParlimen #AWANInews
![Bursa Malaysia meneruskan peningkatan pada awal dagangan Bursa Malaysia meneruskan peningkatan pada awal dagangan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-03/51709865166_BURSAMALAYSIA.jpg)
Bursa Malaysia meneruskan peningkatan pada awal dagangan
Pada 9.19 pagi, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) menambah 0.20 mata kepada 1,630.02 daripada 1,629.82 ketika ditutup pada Isnin.
![Kanak-kanak 4 tahun maut jatuh dari tingkat 16 Kanak-kanak 4 tahun maut jatuh dari tingkat 16](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2015-07/41437207555_PolisLogo.jpg)
Kanak-kanak 4 tahun maut jatuh dari tingkat 16
Polis Daerah Putrajaya menerima panggilan MERS 999 memaklumkan mengenai kejadian kanak-kanak jatuh bangunan sekitar pukul 7.50 pagi tadi.
AWANI Pagi: Hidup bersama COVID-19
Jom ketahui semua info penting tentang “Hidup Bersama COVID-19”! Langkah, pengurusan kes, vaksin, dan banyak lagi bersama Dr Aznida Mohamad Zaki, Pakar Perubatan Kesihatan Awam, Bahagian Kawalan Penyakit Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia dalam Awani Pagi Selasa, 8.30 pagi.
![PM Jepun pecat Menteri Kehakiman berhubung ulasan kontroversi - Laporan PM Jepun pecat Menteri Kehakiman berhubung ulasan kontroversi - Laporan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-10/71665988493_TBJEPUNUNGA.jpg)
PM Jepun pecat Menteri Kehakiman berhubung ulasan kontroversi - Laporan
Perdana Menteri Jepun Fumio Kishida telah membuat keputusan untuk memecat Menteri Kehakiman Yasuhiro Hanashi berhubung kenyataannya mengenai tugas berkaitan menandatangani hukuman mati.