Justice Minister Shozaburo Nakamura tendered his resignation Monday morning to take responsibility for several controversies swirling around him that have stalled Diet deliberations.
Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi accepted the resignation immediately and appointed Takao Jinnouchi, a 65-year-old Upper House lawmaker from the Liberal Democratic Party, as the new justice minister. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka said the prime minister had chosen Jinnouchi because he is a man of character and has much experience.
Nonaka also said that the selection came from among LDP Upper House members to partially atone for the two Cabinet ministers who had to step down in January when Obuchi reduced the number of posts at the request of the Liberal Party, which the LDP was wooing as an ally. Both ministers were Upper House members.