The political battle over pension reform has taken an unexpected -- and ironic -- twist. Accepting responsibility for failing to make mandatory payments to the national pension program, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda resigned abruptly Friday. With national elections two months away, his departure is a heavy blow to the administration of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Mr. Fukuda served as the chief government spokesman for 3 1/2 years -- longer than any of his predecessors.
At a press conference following his resignation, Mr. Fukuda apologized to the nation, saying his "inept handling" of the matter has deepened the public's mistrust of politics. Noting that the ruling and opposition parties have just reached an agreement on the controversial pension reform bill, he said, "I think it's time for me to draw the line."
Mr. Fukuda, however, is not the only Cabinet minister to have missed premium payments for national pensions. Six other ministers, including Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, have also admitted that they failed to pay into the program over different periods of time. Some members of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, including Mr. Naoto Kan, the party leader, have also skipped payments. All this suggests a wider pattern of nonpayments among Diet members.