Search｜Photos & Images & Videos｜KYODO NEWS IMAGES INC

Scandal-hit ex-minister Matsushima to retain seat

TOKYO, Japan - Former Justice Minister Midori Matsushima, a candidate of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the lower house election, celebrates in her electoral district in Tokyo's Sumida Ward on the night of Dec. 14, 2014, after securing victory in the election. Matsushima resigned from the Cabinet post in October less than two months after assuming it over allegations of violating the election law by distributing paper fans to constituents in the past, which could count as a donation banned under the law.

E

Campaigning starts for general election

TOKYO, Japan - Midori Matsushima, who is running in the Dec. 14 general election with the backing of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, waves to voters from a campaign car in Tokyo's Sumida Ward on Dec. 2, 2014, the first day of the official campaigning. Matsushima gave up her justice minister post over possible violation of the election law in October.

E

Japan's new justice minister attends press conference

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's new Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa attends a press conference on Oct. 21, 2014, at her ministry in Tokyo following an attestation ceremony. She succeeded Midori Matsushima, who resigned the previous day over her distribution of free paper fans to voters in her district in possible violation of the election law.

E

Japanese PM Abe attends Cabinet meeting

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) attends a Cabinet meeting with Akira Amari (L), minister in charge of economic revitalization, and Finance Minister Taro Aso at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Oct. 21, 2014, a day after two ministers -- Justice Minister Midori Matsushima and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi -- stepped down.

E

Japan's new justice minister attends attestation ceremony

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's new Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa arrives at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Oct. 21, 2014, to attend an attestation ceremony. Kamikawa succeeded Midori Matsushima, who resigned the previous day over her distribution of free paper fans to voters in her district in possible violation of the election law.

E

Japanese PM Abe attends Cabinet meeting

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe heads to a Cabinet meeting at his office on Oct. 21, 2014, a day after two female ministers resigned. Justice Minister Midori Matsushima was accused of distributing free paper fans to voters in her district in possible violation of the election law, while Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi was involved in a political funds scandal.

E

2 female ministers resign

TOKYO, Japan - Yoko Kamikawa, who was picked by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to become justice minister, enters Abe's office in Tokyo on Oct. 20, 2014. Kamikawa will succeed Midori Matsushima, who resigned earlier in the day due to a money scandal.

E

2 female ministers resign

TOKYO, Japan - Justice Minister Midori Matsushima announces her resignation due to a money scandal, at a press conference at the ministry in Tokyo on Oct. 20, 2014. Matsushima distributed paper fans to voters in her electoral district, a possible violation of the election law.

E

2 female ministers resign

TOKYO, Japan - Composite photo shows Justice Minister Midori Matsushima (R) and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi announcing their resignations due to money scandals, at press conferences in Tokyo on Oct. 20, 2014. Matsushima distributed paper fans to voters in her electoral district, while Obuchi's political groups are suspected of having partially shouldered her supporters' expenses for theater outings, both possible violations of the election law.

E

2 female ministers resign

TOKYO, Japan - Justice Minister Midori Matsushima announces her resignation due to a money scandal, at a press conference at the ministry in Tokyo on Oct. 20, 2014. Matsushima distributed paper fans to voters in her electoral district, a possible violation of the election law.

E

2 female ministers resign

TOKYO, Japan - Justice Minister Midori Matsushima bows after a press conference at the ministry in Tokyo on Oct. 20, 2014, at which she announced her resignation due to a money scandal. Matsushima distributed paper fans to voters in her electoral district, a possible violation of the election law.

E

2 female ministers resign

TOKYO, Japan - Composite photo shows Justice Minister Midori Matsushima (L) and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi during press conferences in Tokyo on Oct. 20, 2014, at which they announced their resignations due to money scandals. Matsushima distributed paper fans to voters in her electoral district, while Obuchi's political groups are suspected of having partially shouldered her supporters' expenses for theater outings, both possible violations of the election law.

E

2 female Cabinet ministers step down

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with reporters at his office on Oct. 20, 2014, after accepting the resignations of two female Cabinet ministers. Justice Minister Midori Matsushima was accused of distributing free paper fans to voters in her district in possible violation of the election law, while Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi was involved in a political funds scandal.

E

2 female ministers step down

TOKYO, Japan - Combined photo shows Justice Minister Midori Matsushima (L) and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi, both of whom stepped down on Oct. 20, 2014. Matsushima was accused of distributing free paper fans to voters in her district in possible violation of the election law, while Obuchi was involved in a political funds scandal.

E

Japan's justice minister Matsushima to resign

TOKYO, Japan - File photo taken on Sept. 3, 2014, shows industry minister Yuko Obuchi (L) and Justice Minister Midori Matsushima heading to the Imperial Palace for the attestation ceremony following the Cabinet reshuffle of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Obuchi stepped down on Oct. 20, while it was reported that Matsushima has also decided to resign over her distribution of free paper fans to voters in her district in possible election law violation.

E

Japan's justice minister Matsushima to resign

TOKYO, Japan - File photo taken on Oct. 15, 2014, shows Justice Minister Midori Matsushima attending a Diet session, at which she was grilled over her distribution of free paper fans to voters in her district in possible election law violation. It was reported on Oct. 20 that she has decided to resign.

E

Justice minister faces criminal complaint

TOKYO, Japan - Justice Minister Midori Matsushima meets with reporters in Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 17, 2014, as an opposition lawmaker filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors against her for alleged election law violation, arguing her action to distribute paper fans to her constituents could constitute a legally-banned "donation."

E

Justice Minister Matsushima faces criticism

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Justice Minister Midori Matsushima attends a parliamentary panel session in Tokyo on Oct. 15, 2014. She withdrew her remarks in which she described questions from the opposition in the Diet as "noise."

E

Abe reshuffles Cabinet

TOKYO, Japan - Midori Matsushima, the newly appointed minister of justice, enters the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Sept. 3, 2014.

E

Scandal-hit ex-minister Matsushima to retain seat

TOKYO, Japan - Former Justice Minister Midori Matsushima, a candidate of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the lower house election, celebrates in her electoral district in Tokyo's Sumida Ward on the night of Dec. 14, 2014, after securing victory in the election. Matsushima resigned from the Cabinet post in October less than two months after assuming it over allegations of violating the election law by distributing paper fans to constituents in the past, which could count as a donation banned under the law. (Kyodo)

E

Campaigning starts for general election

TOKYO, Japan - Midori Matsushima, who is running in the Dec. 14 general election with the backing of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, waves to voters from a campaign car in Tokyo's Sumida Ward on Dec. 2, 2014, the first day of the official campaigning. Matsushima gave up her justice minister post over possible violation of the election law in October. (Kyodo)

E

Japan's new justice minister attends press conference

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's new Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa attends a press conference on Oct. 21, 2014, at her ministry in Tokyo following an attestation ceremony. She succeeded Midori Matsushima, who resigned the previous day over her distribution of free paper fans to voters in her district in possible violation of the election law. (Kyodo)

E

Japan's new justice minister attends attestation ceremony

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's new Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa arrives at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Oct. 21, 2014, to attend an attestation ceremony. Kamikawa succeeded Midori Matsushima, who resigned the previous day over her distribution of free paper fans to voters in her district in possible violation of the election law. (Kyodo)

E

Japanese PM Abe attends Cabinet meeting

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe heads to a Cabinet meeting at his office on Oct. 21, 2014, a day after two female ministers resigned. Justice Minister Midori Matsushima was accused of distributing free paper fans to voters in her district in possible violation of the election law, while Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi was involved in a political funds scandal. (Kyodo)

E

2 female ministers resign

TOKYO, Japan - Justice Minister Midori Matsushima announces her resignation due to a money scandal, at a press conference at the ministry in Tokyo on Oct. 20, 2014. Matsushima distributed paper fans to voters in her electoral district, a possible violation of the election law. (Kyodo)

E

2 female ministers resign

TOKYO, Japan - Yoko Kamikawa, who was picked by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to become justice minister, enters Abe's office in Tokyo on Oct. 20, 2014. Kamikawa will succeed Midori Matsushima, who resigned earlier in the day due to a money scandal. (Kyodo)

E

2 female ministers resign

TOKYO, Japan - Composite photo shows Justice Minister Midori Matsushima (R) and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi announcing their resignations due to money scandals, at press conferences in Tokyo on Oct. 20, 2014. Matsushima distributed paper fans to voters in her electoral district, while Obuchi's political groups are suspected of having partially shouldered her supporters' expenses for theater outings, both possible violations of the election law. (Kyodo)

E

2 female ministers step down

TOKYO, Japan - Combined photo shows Justice Minister Midori Matsushima (L) and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi, both of whom stepped down on Oct. 20, 2014. Matsushima was accused of distributing free paper fans to voters in her district in possible violation of the election law, while Obuchi was involved in a political funds scandal. (Kyodo)

E

2 female Cabinet ministers step down

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with reporters at his office on Oct. 20, 2014, after accepting the resignations of two female Cabinet ministers. Justice Minister Midori Matsushima was accused of distributing free paper fans to voters in her district in possible violation of the election law, while Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi was involved in a political funds scandal. (Kyodo)

E

Japan's justice minister Matsushima to resign

TOKYO, Japan - File photo taken on Sept. 3, 2014, shows industry minister Yuko Obuchi (L) and Justice Minister Midori Matsushima heading to the Imperial Palace for the attestation ceremony following the Cabinet reshuffle of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Obuchi stepped down on Oct. 20, while it was reported that Matsushima has also decided to resign over her distribution of free paper fans to voters in her district in possible election law violation. (Kyodo)

E

Justice minister faces criminal complaint

TOKYO, Japan - Justice Minister Midori Matsushima meets with reporters in Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 17, 2014, as an opposition lawmaker filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors against her for alleged election law violation, arguing her action to distribute paper fans to her constituents could constitute a legally-banned "donation." (Kyodo)

E

Justice Minister Matsushima faces criticism

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Justice Minister Midori Matsushima attends a parliamentary panel session in Tokyo on Oct. 15, 2014. She withdrew her remarks in which she described questions from the opposition in the Diet as "noise." (Kyodo)

E

Abe reshuffles Cabinet

TOKYO, Japan - Midori Matsushima, the newly appointed minister of justice, enters the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Sept. 3, 2014. (Kyodo)