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Japan PM sacks 4th minister to patch up scandal-hit Cabinet

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks before the media at his official residence in Tokyo, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, after Kenya Akiba, minister in charge of reconstruction of Fukushima and other disaster-hit areas, submitted his resignation. Kishida on Tuesday dismissed his fourth minister in two months to patch a scandal-tainted Cabinet that has raised questions over his judgment of staff credentials. (Keisuke Hosojima/Kyodo News via AP) FILE - Japan's newly appointed Reconstruction Minister Hiromichi Watanabe arrives at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, on Oct. 2, 2018. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida dismissed his reconstruction minister Kenya Akiba Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, over questionable political and election funds apparently to patch up his scandal-riddled Cabinet already forced to replace three others in a domino that has raised questions over Kishida's judgement of staff credentials. Watanabe said he was tapped as a replacement and pledged to do his utmost for the recovery of the disaster-hit regions. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, File) Kenya Akiba, Japan's reconstruction minister, reacts during a press conference at his ministry in Tokyo Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. Prime Minister Kishida dismissed his reconstruction minister Tuesday over questionable political and election funds apparently to patch up his scandal-riddled Cabinet already forced to replace three others in a domino that has raised questions over Kishida's judgement of staff credentials.(Kyodo News via AP)