It's deja vu all over again. Yet another lawmaker has fallen into disgrace over money scandals. On Monday Mr. Tadamori Oshima, the minister of agriculture, fisheries and forestry, resigned his post in order to take responsibility for the alleged graft and misuse of campaign funds by his former secretaries. Just last month, a Lower House member was indicted on charges of falsifying a campaign finance report.
Mr. Oshima's resignation was to be expected. Even if not directly involved, he cannot escape responsibility, as he himself acknowledged on resigning, for having failed to properly supervise his aides. He is also to blame for the disruptions the scandals have caused in Diet business. What is more, using his position as a Cabinet minister, he sought the help of Lower House legal advisers to prepare for a Diet inquiry into the scandal.
Mr. Oshima continued to evade questions from opposition parties after the graft scandal came to light in October 2002. The ruling parties played for time to put off Diet testimony by the former aides involved. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stayed largely on the sidelines, or so it seemed, although Mr. Oshima was one of the key ministers Koizumi had appointed in last September's Cabinet reshuffle.