Correspondent
Japan’s Cabinet Public Relations Secretary Yamada Makiko has resigned over an ethics breach that involves one of the Prime Minister’s sons. The new setback comes as the government struggles with a series of scandals and falling public support.
Yamada was a senior communications ministry bureaucrat when she attended an expensive meal hosted by executives linked to a satellite broadcasting firm, including Suga Seigo, a son of Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide. The 2019 dinner violated an ethics law intended to prevent corruption.
Prime Minister Suga has apologized for the inconvenient timing of Yamada’s departure. The resignation of the public relations secretary happened at an extremely important time during Diet deliberations, Suga told reporters on Monday. I deeply apologize for causing trouble to the public, as well as members of the Diet.
Senior Commentator
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has apologized for his son’s role in a growing scandal that is threatening to engulf his administration. The comments came during Monday’s Diet session, after an in-house probe at the communications ministry named several officials and a current Cabinet spokesperson.
The ministry announced that 11 officials had violated its ethics code when they accepted dinners from the prime minister’s eldest son, Suga Seigo. Suga works for Tohoku Shinsha Film Corporation, a video production company whose satellite broadcasting arm would benefit from good relations with the ministry. The scandal was first reported on by weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun in February.