Resignation of Japanese Deputy Minister Amid Bribery and Corruption Allegations

Japanese parliament member Masatoshi Akimoto resigned from his position as deputy minister on Friday following allegations that he accepted bribes from a wind energy company, marking another setback for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Japanese radio reported that prosecutors in Tokyo raided Akimoto's office after suspecting he received bribes amounting to tens of millions of yen. The Foreign Ministry later announced that Akimoto had resigned from his deputy ministerial position. This resignation comes as Kishida's approval ratings have fallen to their lowest since he took office in 2021. The Sankei Shimbun reported that a lawyer representing the company denied the bribery allegations.