TOKYO: Japanese opposition parties are ramping up their attacks on the Liberal Democratic Party-led government at the Diet, Japan’s parliament, taking aim at two ministers with suspected involvement in money scandals.

The opposition has been heartened by the resignation of former economic revitalization minister Daishiro Yamagiwa this week. The government and the LDP-Komeito ruling coalition fear that Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio’s administration would be shaken if the development touches off a series of resignations.

The latest targets for the opposition are internal affairs minister Minoru Terada and postdisaster reconstruction minister Kenya Akiba.

Terada, hit by allegations of tax evasion over personnel expenses for a political group headed by his wife, now faces a fresh scandal. The online edition of the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine Tuesday reported that political funds statements for his supporter group were filed with a deceased person as the treasurer.

Meanwhile, Akiba is reported to have funneled political funds to his wife and mother in the form of rent payments.

On Wednesday, Yuichi Goto of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan blasted Terada for being irresponsible, at a meeting of the Special Committee on Political Ethics and Election Law at the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet.

“You should not be in the position of internal affairs minister any longer,” Goto said, urging Terada to resign.

Terada admitted that a deceased person was designated as the treasurer and apologized. But he avoided further explanations, only saying, “I am not aware of details of the paperwork as I am not the head of the political organization.”

The opposition has also been attacking Akiba for days.

“If they can’t fulfill their accountability, the prime minister must make a decision” to force them out of their positions, CDP President Kenta Izumi said in an interview Wednesday.

Keiji Kokuta, Diet affairs head of the Japanese Communist Party, told a press conference that Terada is “not qualified” for his ministerial role.

“We will make (Terada) properly fulfill his accountability,” said Nobuyuki Baba, leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), which usually distances itself from other opposition parties when they grill the government over scandals.

At Komeito, policy leader Yosuke Takagi said Wednesday that Terada, as internal affairs minister, oversees the handling of political funds.

“I hope he will give further explanations conscientiously,” Takagi said.

“It’s important to give appropriate explanations as a politician,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said repeatedly in a press conference.

An LDP source appeared nervous, saying that “a second resignation would spell trouble.”

JIJI Press