TOKYO - Opposition parties on Sunday stepped up pressure on Japan's new farm minister to resign over a money scandal, which marred last week's relaunch of embattled Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet.
Opposition parties renewed their threat to submit a censure motion against Takehiko Endo to the opposition-controlled upper house if Abe kept him.
"If we decide that he is not eligible as farm, fishery and forestry minister, it's natural for us to consider a motion," Naoto Kan, acting president of the largest opposition Democratic Party, told a television interview.
Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan, said: "He must resign after making a full explanation. We will thoroughly pursue the case by submitting a censure motion."
Endo, who was appointed farm minister in a cabinet reshuffle on Monday last week, has apologised for his mutual aid association for farmers to have received 1.15 million yen (10,000 dollars) in extra payments in 1999 by padding its membership.
Endo also admitted his election office accepted 50,000 yen in 2005 from a separate state-subsidised farming cooperative in a prohibited donation.
But he has vowed to stay on as farm minister, saying: "I must not make this problem grow bigger by resigning as minister."
The opposition camp has gained force since it sealed a major election victory in July, forcing Abe's ruling Democratic Party to lose a majority in the upper house for the first time since it formed the conservative party in 1955.
The upper house could adopt the motion, which is legally non-binding but would undoubtedly put pressure on the minister.
Abe has ruled out his farm minister's immediate resignation, only saying: "If people have questions, it will be his duty to answer them clearly."
Abe has had a string of troubled farm ministers. One killed himself and another quit in disgrace.
09/02/2007 04:26 GMT