Japanese prosecutor Hiromu Kurokawa quits over mahjong gambling scandal
- Kurokawa, an ally of PM Shinzo Abe, admitted to playing mahjong for money with reporters, defying social distancing guidelines to fight coronavirus
- His resignation is a fresh setback for Abe, who has ridden out a string of favouritism scandals since his return to power in late 2012
Hiromu Kurokawa has admitted to the allegations and asked to step down as chief of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office, Justice Minister Masako Mori told reporters, adding the cabinet will accept the resignation on Friday.
According to the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine report, Kurokawa played mahjong with two reporters of the Sankei newspaper and an employee of the Asahi newspaper on May 1 and May 13.
A nationwide state of emergency came into effect in April and remains in place in some areas including Tokyo, Osaka and Hokkaido, with people being asked to stay at home and avoid close contact with others.
Kurokawa’s resignation is a fresh setback for Abe, who has ridden out a string of money and favouritism scandals since his return to power in late 2012.
The magazine’s report, released on Wednesday night in its online edition ahead of the print version hitting news-stands on Thursday, had sparked calls from the ruling and opposition parties – and even some within the judicial branch – for Kurokawa to step down.
It also set social media abuzz with tweets bearing a Japanese hashtag demanding he be dismissed as a disciplinary step. Abe told reporters on Thursday that the Justice Ministry was looking into the matter and he had yet to be briefed on the details.
