Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara, a close aide to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, has been avoiding reporters for about a month, following magazine reports on his wife.
Previously, Kihara answered questions when entering and leaving the prime minister's office. But now, he is rarely seen at the main entrance.
According to sources close to Kihara, he is avoiding reporters as he cares about his family after weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported that his wife had been questioned by Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department on a voluntary basis.