Japan’s deputy finance minister resigned on Monday following revelations of delinquent tax payments, posing another challenge for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, whose public support is already dwindling.
Kenji Kanda, the state minister of finance overseeing government bonds and monetary policy, announced his resignation, expressing a desire to avoid disruption in parliamentary debates. The legislature is set to discuss a 13.1 trillion yen ($86.34 billion) supplementary budget to support the government’s economic package.
The Shukan Bunshun magazine initially reported last week that a private firm owned by Kanda, a licensed tax accountant, had repeatedly failed to pay taxes, leading authorities to foreclose on a company building four times. Kanda confirmed the accuracy of the report.
Kanda becomes the third official to leave a ministerial post in the two months since Kishida reshuffled his cabinet to address declining public approval ratings.
Hirokazu Matsuno, the top government spokesperson, acknowledged the gravity of the resignations, stating that the government is committed to addressing pressing issues to regain public trust.
Despite these efforts, recent surveys indicate that Kishida has been unable to reverse the decline in support. A poll by broadcaster FNN revealed that approval for Kishida’s cabinet reached a record low of 27.8%, down 7.8 points from the previous month.
Respondents in various polls expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s economic relief and stimulus measures, including a 40,000 yen per person annual income tax cut and a 70,000 yen payment to low-income households.
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