Ex-Farm Minister Nishikawa Resigns as Cabinet Adviser

Tokyo, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government Tuesday announced the resignation of former agriculture minister Koya Nishikawa as special adviser to the cabinet, who reportedly had close ties with a scandal-tainted egg producer.

Nishikawa left the part-time national government post for personal reasons, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato.

Nishikawa was reportedly close to egg production company Akita Foods, based in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, which is at the center of a money scandal involving former farm minister Takamori Yoshikawa.

Nishikawa claims that he did not receive illegal money from the company, according to a senior member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

He offered to resign as special adviser to the cabinet so as not to cause trouble to the LDP or the government, the senior LDP official said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]