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Japanese defence minister faces ouster
Japanese Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba faced pressure from within his own party to resign yesterday after a destroyer crashed into a fishing boat, a departure that would be a blow for struggling Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.
- Reuters
- Published: 00:30 February 29, 2008
Tokyo: Japanese Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba faced pressure from within his own party to resign yesterday after a destroyer crashed into a fishing boat, a departure that would be a blow for struggling Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.
An unnamed executive in Ishiba's own Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was quoted by the Nikkei daily as saying Ishiba must consider resigning over his handling of an inquiry into the collision, showing pressure for the minister to go went beyond a chorus of such calls from opposition politicians.
With public support for Fukuda sliding below 30 per cent, a level seen by analysts as critical to his survival, the leader can ill afford to lose a minister seen by analysts and voters as one of his most competent.
Reports
Conflicting reports about the circumstances of the crash between the destroyer Atago and a small fishing vessel on February 19, which left two men missing in the ocean, have sparked accusations of a cover up, adding to pressure on Ishiba from a series of previous defence scandals.
He has admitted his ministry took some inappropriate actions but denied any attempt to hide information, adding that he would resign if there was a cover up.
If he goes, Ishiba would be the first minister to step down from Fukuda's five-month-old cabinet. He is already the fourth defence minister in a year.
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