Japanese minister quits after Fukushima comments set off shockwaves
Tokyo — The Japanese cabinet minister overseeing reconstruction of areas devastated by the 2011 tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster resigned on Wednesday after saying it was better the disaster struck the northeastern region instead of Tokyo. Masahiro Imamura was forced to quit after remarks he made on Tuesday at a party for ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) legislators and is the latest in a spate of ruling party legislators in trouble for their comments or behaviour. Speaking of the costs incurred in the 9.0 earthquake that set off a massive tsunami and left nearly 20,000 dead or missing, Imamura said: "It was better that this happened in the northeast." The comments came just weeks after Imamura set off a furore at a news conference by disparaging people who left Fukushima out of fear after the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, then shouting at a reporter and storming out of the room. Imamura’s comments prompted an immediate rebuke from Prime Minister Shinzo ...
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