Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he had accepted Sugawara’s resignation and asked Hiroshi Kajiyama to take the helm at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. “I bear responsibility for his appointment and I deeply apologise to the people of Japan for this result,” Abe told reporters at his office. “I don’t want my problems to slow down parliament deliberations,” Sugawara told reporters on Friday in explaining his resignation. Kajiyama, who will lead trade talks with Seoul should he accept the appointment, previously held a post in Abe’s cabinet as minister in charge of revitalising local economies. Abe and South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon met on Thursday and agreed on the importance of cooperating on North Korea and other issues, seeking to rebuild relations amid the feud over history and trade.

Source: The Express Tribune October 25, 2019 16:41 UTC