TOKYO (AFP) - - Japan's new farm minister said Saturday he would not resign as yet another money scandal broke out just days after he took office in a shake-up aimed at restoring the scandal-hit government's image.
"I recognise this is undoubtedly a big scandal," Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Takehiko Endo told a hurriedly-arranged news conference on reports a farm group chaired by him had received state subsidies illicitly.
"I deeply feel sorry," he said, admitting his mutual aid association for farmers had received more subsidies than it deserved by padding its membership.
The association received 1.15 million yen (10,000 dollars) in extra payments in 1999.
It has not returned it to state coffers although investigation by the Board of Audit found in 2004 that the receipt of money had been inappropriate, he said, adding that he had resigned as chairman of the group Friday.
It is the second consecutive day of public apology by Endo as he admitted Friday his election office had accepted 50,000 yen in 2005 from a separate state-subsidised farming cooperative in a prohibited donation.
The money has already been returned to the cooperative.
Endo vowed to stay on as farm minister.
"As I accepted the appointment, I will do my utmost efforts for Japan's agriculture policy," he said.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose coalition suffered a major election defeat in July after scandals, has had particularly bad luck with farm ministers. A previous farm minister killed himself and another quit in disgrace.
Endo's immediate predecessor, Norihiko Akagi, resigned under a cloud of scandal on August 1, just three days after the ruling party's crushing election defeat in the election for the upper house.
Akagi had succeeded Toshikatsu Matsuoka, who hanged himself in May before he was to be questioned over separate money allegations.
