Land, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Nobuteru Ishihara told Japan Highway Public Corp. President Haruho Fujii on Sunday to hand in his resignation Monday to take responsibility for the semigovernmental firm's controversial balance sheet.
Ishihara conveyed his intention to Fujii by telephone after meeting with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in the evening.
"I expect him to make the appropriate decision," Ishihara told a news conference.