Scandal-tainted agriculture minister Norihiko Akagi was sacked Wednesday for contributing to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's historic defeat in the House of Councilors election.
Akagi, 48, has been under fire for questionable accounting of his political funds — a factor that many consider played a significant role in the LDP-New Komeito ruling bloc's shattering defeat Sunday, and pressure from his fellow LDP lawmakers to resign had been intensifying since the election.
"There have been a series of media reports about me. It is all too clear that the reports affected the campaign and became one of the reasons of the ruling coalition's defeat. I feel very sorry about it," Akagi told reporters at the Prime Minister's Official Residence after tendering his resignation to Shinzo Abe.