Oct. 25 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Prime Minister of Japan confirmed on Tuesday his intention to appoint the former Minister of Health, Shigeyuki Goto, as successor to the head of the Economy portfolio, Daishiro Yamagiwa, who resigned last Sunday for his ties to the Unification Church.
Goto, who will replace the outgoing minister, is 66 years old and has been elected seven times for Nagano’s 4th district in the House of Representatives, NHK reported.
The former Minister of Health, a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, will take office on Tuesday, just before the government approves a new economic package aimed at cushioning the impact of rising prices and strengthening the economy, reports the Kyodo agency.
Yamagiwa presented his resignation to the Japanese prime minister on Monday for his ties to the controversial Unification Church, a sect that has been in the spotlight after the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe at the hands of a man who blamed him for having encouraged the implantation of said religious group in the Asian country.
Yamagiwa’s resignation letter – who has become the first member of this cabinet to resign – has dealt another blow to the Kishida Administration and responds to calls made by the opposition, which demanded his departure from the Government, according to Kiodo news agency reported.
Kishida has shown a more rigid stance towards the Unification Church after receiving criticism about the government’s laxity towards the religious movement, especially after receiving numerous complaints from followers who claimed to be coerced into donating large sums of money to the sect.
