Opposition parties on Monday pushed the Finance Ministry to punish its top official by blocking his eligibility for full retirement benefits in the wake of sexual harassment allegations leveled by a journalist.
Despite denying the allegations, Junichi Fukuda offered last week to step down as administrative vice finance minister, claiming the accusation was preventing him from doing his job.
But opposition lawmakers demanded the ministry take some kind of punitive action against Fukuda within the day and before his resignation is accepted.