The Foreign Ministry on Saturday stripped a senior official of his post as director of a ministry division due to allegations that he has embezzled several hundred million yen in public funds since 1993, ministry officials said.
The 55-year-old official, who was director of the Division for Administrative Improvement in the Foreign Minister's Secretariat, was relieved of his position due to concerns that the scandal may affect his duties, they said. His identity is being withheld.
Police are investigating the case and the ministry has set up a special team to look into the allegations.