Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delayed his departure for three upcoming summits in Southeast Asia to sack and replace his justice minister who was widely criticised over an offhand remark he made about approving capital punishment.
Justice Minister Yasuhiro Hanashi told reporters on Friday that he had submitted his resignation to Kishida, two days after he commented at a party meeting that his low-profile job only made the noon news when he used his “hanko” stamp to approve death penalties in the morning.
