Fourth member of scandal-hit Japanese cabinet resigns

Reconstruction minister quits amid accusations of election law violations and ties to Unification church

Japan's prime minister, Fumio Kishida, has ended the year facing fierce political headwinds after his reconstruction minister became the fourth member of his scandal-hit cabinet to resign in two months.

Kenya Akiba announced his resignation on Tuesday after opposition MPs accused him of election law violations and of having ties to the Unification church, a controversial religious group whose connections to the ruling party have sent Kishida's approval ratings to record lows.