It's turning into a hard week at the Diet for farm minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka, whose political funds report revealed suspiciously high utility expenditures at his rent-free government office.
By refusing to disclose any details of the irregular spending -- the minister has cited a law that allows politicians to withhold such information -- Matsuoka is flirting with a major scandal.
For 2005, Matsuoka declared his political funds control body spent 5.07 million yen on water, lighting and heating. Over the five years up to 2005, such expenditures totaled as much as 28.8 million yen.