Ostensibly, Mr. Shozaburo Nakamura was let go as justice minister because a censure motion in the Upper House looked imminent and New Komeito was adding its weight to the opposition demand that Mr. Nakamura resign, or else. Fundamentally, however, Mr. Nakamura is a casualty of his own loose tongue, questionable ethics and the political frailty of Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's Cabinet.
The justice minister became a figure of controversy almost as soon as he assumed office last July. He reportedly summoned the public prosecutor general to his office and told him he was "strictly under the command of the minister appointed by the prime minister" -- a remark generally considered to be an infringement on the independent tradition of the Public Prosecutor's Office.
Then came Mr. Nakamura's highly publicized remark criticizing the Constitution at a New Year's party attended by senior Justice officials. Although he later retracted his call for a revision of the Constitution, the opposition parties had heard enough to call for his head. Their attempt failed because LDP bigwigs did not find his gaffes offensive enough.