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Scandal-hit farm minister Akagi effectively sacked

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi looks down during a press conference at the farm ministry in Tokyo on Aug. 1 after submitting his resignation to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to take responsibility for a series of political fund scandals.

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Scandal-hit farm minister Akagi effectively sacked

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi (R) is seen off by farm ministry officials as he leaves the ministry after his resignation. Earlier in the day, Akagi submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to take responsibility for a series of political fund scandals.

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Scandal-hit farm minister Akagi effectively sacked

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi (R) speaks about his resignation at a news conference at the farm ministry in Tokyo on Aug. 1. Earlier in the day Akagi submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to take responsibility for a series of political fund scandals.

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Scandal-hit farm minister Akagi effectively sacked

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi looks down during a press conference at the farm ministry in Tokyo on Aug. 1 after submitting his resignation to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to take responsibility for a series of political fund scandals.

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Scandal-hit Farm minister Akagi resigns

TOKYO, Japan - Farm minister Norihiko Akagi speaks to reporters after his resignation was accepted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Aug. 1. ''Media reports concerning myself and other factors had an impact on the election and it was all too clear that it was a factor that invited the loss of the ruling coalition,'' Akagi said.

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Scandal-hit Farm minister Akagi resigns

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe emerges from a meeting of Liberal Democratic Party executives at the party headquarters in Tokyo on Aug. 1. Abe later accepted the resignation offered by his farm minister Norihiko Akagi.

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Scandal-hit Farm minister Akagi resigns

TOKYO, Japan - Farm minister Norihiko Akagi speaks to reporters after his resignation was accepted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Aug. 1. Akagi said he offered to resign to take responsibility for damage his political fund scandal caused to the governing coalition in the upper house election.

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Farm minister Akagi rejects resignation

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi speaks at the news conference at the farm ministry in Tokyo on July 31. Akagi ruled out the possibility of his resignation over the alleged misuse of political funds after a major defeat for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the House of Councillors election on July 29.

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Japanese rice sales resume in China after 4-year hiatus

BEIJING, China - Japanese farm minister Norihiko Akagi (3rd from L) inspects a supermarket section in Beijing on July 26 where Japanese rice was put on sale after a four-year hiatus, following Beijing's lifting of a ban on rice imports from Japan.

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Japan, China agree to boost exchanges over product safety

BEIJING, China - Japan's agriculture minister Norihiko Akagi (L) presents a bag of Japanese rice to Li Changjiang, the minister in charge of China's safety watchdog, during a meeting in Beijing on July 25. Akagi said he and Li agreed to bolster exchanges over product safety in the face of growing international concerns over substandard Chinese exports. Akagi was in Beijing to promote the sales of Japanese rice, which will resume on July 26 after China's lifting of its four-year ban on their imports.

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Akagi sees no problems in office management

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi (L) briefs reporters about the management of his support group's office and office-related costs at a news conference in Tokyo on July 10.

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Akagi sees no problems in office management

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi briefs reporters about the management of his support group's office and office-related costs at a news conference in Tokyo on July 10.

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Abe sees no need for detailed explanation by farm minister Akagi

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks in an interview with news organizations at the headquarters of his Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo on July 9. Abe said it is unnecessary for agriculture minister Norihiko Akagi to provide further explanations about allegations of falsified political fund statements.

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Abe sees no need for detailed explanation by farm minister Akagi

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks in an interview with news organizations at the headquarters of his Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo on July 9. Abe said it is unnecessary for agriculture minister Norihiko Akagi to provide further explanations about allegations of falsified political fund statements.

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Fund scandal hits Abe's Cabinet, farm minister denies allegation

CHIKUSEI, Japan - Photo taken July 7, 2007, shows the house where the parents of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi live in Chikusei, Ibaraki Prefecture. A political organization supporting him registered the home as its office and booked some 123 million yen in rent, utilities and other costs from 1990 to 2005 despite the fact the house is not actually used in that way, sources familiar with the issue told Kyodo News.

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Abe says he sees no problem with Akagi's political fund management

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe responds to questions from reporters at his official residence July 7 about farm minister Norihiko Akagi's political fund management. Abe indicated that he sees no problem with the issue.

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Fund scandal hits Abe's Cabinet, farm minister denies allegation

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi responds to questions from reporters at his ministry July 7 about the costs of the office of a political organization supporting him. Akagi brushed off allegations of falsified political fund statements.

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Utility cost scandal hits farm minister Akagi

TOKYO, Japan - A political funds scandal surfaced July 7 involving farm minister Norihiko Akagi (file photo), who took over the post in June after his predecessor committed suicide amid a similar scandal.

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New farm minister to urge G-4 to accept Japan in talks on WTO

TOKYO, Japan - New Japanese farm minister Norihiko Akagi said during a press gathering in Tokyo that he will urge four core members of the World Trade Organization to let Japan participate in their ministerial meeting in mid-June aimed at bringing the stalled Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations to a successful conclusion.

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Abe names Akagi as new farm minister

TOKYO, Japan - New Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi speaks at news conference in Tokyo on June 1. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe named Akagi, a former farm ministry bureaucrat, to replace Toshikatsu Matsuoka, who committed suicide on May 28.

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Abe names Akagi as new farm minister

TOKYO, Japan - New Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi speaks at news conference in Tokyo on June 1. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe named Akagi, a former farm ministry bureaucrat, to replace Toshikatsu Matsuoka, who committed suicide on May 28.

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Abe names Akagi as new farm minister

TOKYO, Japan - Norihiko Akagi, a former senior vice minister who was named as farm minister to replace the late Toshikatsu Matsuoka, surrounded by reporters at the Prime Minister's Official Residence on June 1.

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Abe names Akagi as new farm minister

TOKYO, Japan - Norihiko Akagi (C), a former senior vice minister who was named as farm minister on June 1 to replace the late Toshikatsu Matsuoka, arrives at the Prime Minister's Official Residence for a meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Matsuoka committed suicide on May 28.

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Abe to pick Norihiko Akagi as new farm minister

TOKYO, Japan - File photo of former senior vice minister Norihiko Akagi, who has been named to succeed the late Toshikatsu Matsuoka as agriculture minister.

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Abe names Akagi as new farm minister

TOKYO, Japan - New Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi speaks at news conference in Tokyo on June 1. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe named Akagi, a former farm ministry bureaucrat, to replace Toshikatsu Matsuoka, who committed suicide on May 28. (Kyodo)

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Abe names Akagi as new farm minister

TOKYO, Japan - Norihiko Akagi (C), a former senior vice minister who was named as farm minister on June 1 to replace the late Toshikatsu Matsuoka, arrives at the Prime Minister's Official Residence for a meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Matsuoka committed suicide on May 28. (Kyodo)

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Abe names Akagi as new farm minister

TOKYO, Japan - New Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi speaks at news conference in Tokyo on June 1. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe named Akagi, a former farm ministry bureaucrat, to replace Toshikatsu Matsuoka, who committed suicide on May 28. (Kyodo)

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Abe to pick Norihiko Akagi as new farm minister

TOKYO, Japan - File photo of former senior vice minister Norihiko Akagi, who has been named to succeed the late Toshikatsu Matsuoka as agriculture minister. (Kyodo)

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Abe names Akagi as new farm minister

TOKYO, Japan - Norihiko Akagi, a former senior vice minister who was named as farm minister to replace the late Toshikatsu Matsuoka, surrounded by reporters at the Prime Minister's Official Residence on June 1. (Kyodo)

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New farm minister to urge G-4 to accept Japan in talks on WTO

TOKYO, Japan - New Japanese farm minister Norihiko Akagi said during a press gathering in Tokyo that he will urge four core members of the World Trade Organization to let Japan participate in their ministerial meeting in mid-June aimed at bringing the stalled Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations to a successful conclusion. (Kyodo)

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Fund scandal hits Abe's Cabinet, farm minister denies allegation

CHIKUSEI, Japan - Photo taken July 7, 2007, shows the house where the parents of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi live in Chikusei, Ibaraki Prefecture. A political organization supporting him registered the home as its office and booked some 123 million yen in rent, utilities and other costs from 1990 to 2005 despite the fact the house is not actually used in that way, sources familiar with the issue told Kyodo News. (Kyodo)

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Fund scandal hits Abe's Cabinet, farm minister denies allegation

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi responds to questions from reporters at his ministry July 7 about the costs of the office of a political organization supporting him. Akagi brushed off allegations of falsified political fund statements. (Kyodo)

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(CORRECTED)Fund scandal hits Abe's Cabinet, farm minister Akagi

TOKYO, Japan - Farm minister Norihiko Akagi (file photo) denied July 7 a political funds scandal that surfaced earlier in the day in connection with the costs of the office of a political organization supporting him. (Kyodo)

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Utility cost scandal hits farm minister Akagi

TOKYO, Japan - A political funds scandal surfaced July 7 involving farm minister Norihiko Akagi (file photo), who took over the post in June after his predecessor committed suicide amid a similar scandal. (Kyodo)

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Scandal-hit farm minister Akagi effectively sacked

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi (R) is seen off by farm ministry officials as he leaves the ministry after his resignation. Earlier in the day, Akagi submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to take responsibility for a series of political fund scandals. (Kyodo)

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Scandal-hit farm minister Akagi effectively sacked

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi looks down during a press conference at the farm ministry in Tokyo on Aug. 1 after submitting his resignation to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to take responsibility for a series of political fund scandals. (Kyodo)

E

Scandal-hit farm minister Akagi effectively sacked

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi looks down during a press conference at the farm ministry in Tokyo on Aug. 1 after submitting his resignation to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to take responsibility for a series of political fund scandals. (Kyodo)

E

Scandal-hit farm minister Akagi effectively sacked

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi (R) speaks about his resignation at a news conference at the farm ministry in Tokyo on Aug. 1. Earlier in the day Akagi submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to take responsibility for a series of political fund scandals. (Kyodo)

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Scandal-hit Farm minister Akagi resigns

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe emerges from a meeting of Liberal Democratic Party executives at the party headquarters in Tokyo on Aug. 1. Abe later accepted the resignation offered by his farm minister Norihiko Akagi. (Kyodo)

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Akagi sees no problems in office management

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi (L) briefs reporters about the management of his support group's office and office-related costs at a news conference in Tokyo on July 10. (Kyodo)

E

Akagi sees no problems in office management

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi briefs reporters about the management of his support group's office and office-related costs at a news conference in Tokyo on July 10. (Kyodo)

E

Abe sees no need for detailed explanation by farm minister Akagi

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks in an interview with news organizations at the headquarters of his Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo on July 9. Abe said it is unnecessary for agriculture minister Norihiko Akagi to provide further explanations about allegations of falsified political fund statements. (Kyodo)

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Abe sees no need for detailed explanation by farm minister Akagi

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks in an interview with news organizations at the headquarters of his Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo on July 9. Abe said it is unnecessary for agriculture minister Norihiko Akagi to provide further explanations about allegations of falsified political fund statements. (Kyodo)

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Scandal-hit Farm minister Akagi resigns

TOKYO, Japan - Farm minister Norihiko Akagi speaks to reporters after his resignation was accepted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Aug. 1. ''Media reports concerning myself and other factors had an impact on the election and it was all too clear that it was a factor that invited the loss of the ruling coalition,'' Akagi said. (Kyodo)

E

Scandal-hit Farm minister Akagi resigns

TOKYO, Japan - Farm minister Norihiko Akagi speaks to reporters after his resignation was accepted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Aug. 1. Akagi said he offered to resign to take responsibility for damage his political fund scandal caused to the governing coalition in the upper house election. (Kyodo)

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Farm minister Akagi rejects resignation

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi speaks at the news conference at the farm ministry in Tokyo on July 31. Akagi ruled out the possibility of his resignation over the alleged misuse of political funds after a major defeat for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the House of Councillors election on July 29. (Kyodo)

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Japanese rice sales resume in China after 4-year hiatus

BEIJING, China - Japanese farm minister Norihiko Akagi (3rd from L) inspects a supermarket section in Beijing on July 26 where Japanese rice was put on sale after a four-year hiatus, following Beijing's lifting of a ban on rice imports from Japan. (Kyodo)

E

Japan, China agree to boost exchanges over product safety

BEIJING, China - Japan's agriculture minister Norihiko Akagi (L) presents a bag of Japanese rice to Li Changjiang, the minister in charge of China's safety watchdog, during a meeting in Beijing on July 25. Akagi said he and Li agreed to bolster exchanges over product safety in the face of growing international concerns over substandard Chinese exports. Akagi was in Beijing to promote the sales of Japanese rice, which will resume on July 26 after China's lifting of its four-year ban on their imports. (Kyodo)