Former agriculture minister Ken Saito to replace Hanashi as justice minister

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:21 JST, November 11, 2022

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he accepted Justice Minister Yasuhiro Hanashi’s resignation Friday afternoon. Hanashi had been under fire over remarks he made Wednesday that appeared to trivialize his duties as the head of the Justice Ministry.

Speaking to reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office, Kishida said he plans to appoint Ken Saito, a Liberal Democratic Party lower house member and a former agriculture minister, as Hanashi’s replacement.