National News Rebuilding minister quits after a week

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Ryu Matsumoto resigned July 5 as reconstruction minister just a week into his stint after he drew flak for insulting two governors in the disaster-hit Tohoku region he was tasked to rebuild, and his exit drove Prime Minister Naoto Kan into a deeper political quagmire.

Later in the day, Tatsuo Hirano, who had served as a senior vice minister at the Cabinet Office in charge of disaster reconstruction under Matsumoto, was promoted to the post of reconstruction minister. Hirano, 57, is an Upper House member who is from Iwate Prefecture, unlike his Kyushu predecessor.

With the quick replacement, Kan hoped to minimize the damage to his administration. But he undoubtedly will face increasing pressure to move up his own departure from office, even though he has vowed to stay on until tangible progress is achieved in mending the Tohoku region and ending the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. (The Japan Times)

松本復興相が辞任、後任に平野氏

一連の失言などの責任を取って辞任した松本龍震災復興担当相の後任として、平野達男震災復興担当副大臣が起用された。

Shukan ST: July 15, 2011

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