08 January 2012

News Story: Japan Defense Minister on Hot Seat

TOKYO - Japan's defense minister faces the sack, according to Jan. 7 news reports, after a series of gaffes including describing the rape of a 12-year-old girl by three U.S. service members as a "sexual orgy incident".


Yasuo Ichikawa, who has only been in office for four months, was censured by parliament's opposition-controlled upper house in December, as was consumer affairs minister Kenji Yamaoka, who backed an alleged pyramid sales firm

Both men are expected to be removed in a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Jiji Press news agency and other media reported.


Read the full story at DefenseNews