MikeLigalig.com

Japan's Agriculture Minister Takehiko Endo has resigned only a week after being appointed, in a fresh blow for embattled Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

On Saturday, Mr Endo admitted that a private farm group he heads was involved in illegal dealings.

He said the group had been paid 1.15m Yen ($9,900) by the state after overstating crop damage in 1999.

He will be replaced by Masatoshi Wakabayashi, who becomes Japan's fourth agriculture minister in four months.

Mr Endo submitted his resignation to Mr Abe early on Monday, and the prime minister accepted it.

"I apologise. The series of scandals has added to the people's distrust," he said as he stood down.

source: news.bbc.co.uk