(cctv.com)
Updated: 2007-09-03 15:36

September 3 - Japan's new farm minister Takehiko Endo has decided to resign over a scandal involving a farmers' group that he heads.

Several days ago, the farmers' Mutual Aid Association was found to have illegally obtained nearly ten thousand US dollars in government subsidies in 1999. Edo said that he was informed of the matter three years ago, arguing that he was not directly involved with it.

Endo became farm minister less than a week ago when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reshuffled his Cabinet.