Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka backed down Thursday in a feud with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi over personnel changes at the Foreign Ministry, agreeing to replace Japan's ambassador to the United States, a government source said.
Tanaka agreed to replace Ambassador Shunji Yanai after repeated instructions from Koizumi to relieve him and four other top-ranking diplomats over a series of scandals involving ministry officials, the source said.
She met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda at the Prime Minister's Official Residence Thursday evening to convey her decision.