The Foreign Ministry has been mired in an internal struggle between Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka and senior ministry bureaucrats. The faceoff shows no signs of ending, although Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has issued a warning to both Mrs. Tanaka and Vice Foreign Minister Yutaka Kawashima. Mrs. Tanaka has even threatened to take legal action against those officials whom she blames for leaking sensitive diplomatic information in an attempt to damage her reputation.
Mr. Shunji Yanai, the Japanese ambassador to Washington, has expressed serious concern about the feuding, calling it an "abnormal situation." It is indeed unusual for a top ministry bureaucrat to publicly criticize his boss, the foreign minister, for whatever reason. The Japanese people -- and perhaps much of the world community -- are dismayed by this "family quarrel" within the Foreign Ministry. The dispute has already badly hurt Japan's international reputation. It must be settled quickly.
It all started with discord between Mrs. Tanaka and her top subordinates over the handling of an embezzlement scandal involving a secret diplomatic fund. Much of the money was allegedly used for wining and dining by ministry mandarins themselves. The ministry took disciplinary actions against 16 officials, but not those at the top. The immensely popular foreign minister -- who took office after those measures were unveiled -- tried to take tougher measures. But she met fierce resistance from ranking officials, who insisted that no further action was needed because the case had already been closed.