News / World
Japanese Cabinet Minister Hangs Himself Amidst Fraud Allegations
Toshikatsu Matsuoka, the 62-year-old Japanese Cabinet member who led the agriculture ministry, was found unconscious in his apartment early Monday after hanging himself just hours before he was set to face questions surrounding some of his recent activities.
Matsuoka was pronounced dead a few hours after being found.
Japan’s Agriculture Minister had been accused of bookkeeping fraud in which he claimed he paid more than $236,000 in utility fees despite the fact the cost of utilities were free at his rented parliamentary office.
Calls for his resignation were rebuffed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who said that dismissing Matsuoka was not necessary.
Abe was on is way to Matsuoka’s wake Monday evening when he told reporters “The effects on the Cabinet will be great, I feel deeply conscious of my responsibility as prime minister, and as the one who appointed him.”
Shortly after taking office in September of 2006 Matsuoka had been linked to bid-rigging as well as not declaring campaign contributions the he received from a controversial group.
