The Government of Shinzo Abe, the Japanese Prime Minister, was thrown into turmoil today after one of his Cabinet ministers committed suicide, in the midst of questioning over a series of political scandals.

Toshikatsu Matsuoka, 62, the Agriculture Minister, was reportedly found hanging from a door in his flat, only hours before he was due to face stern questions in parliament over allegations of bid rigging and accounting foul play.

He was rushed to hospital but doctors were unable to resuscitate him. A police post-mortem later confirmed that he died after hanging himself.

The Japanese media reported that Mr Matsuoka was discovered unconscious in his pyjamas after attempting to hang himself using a dog leash, and that a suicide note was also found.

While efforts to resuscitate him were continuing in hospital, the minister had been due to make a much-anticipated appearance before a parliamentary committee.

He was expected to explain allegations that he had claimed more than 28 million yen (£120,000) in utility expenses at his parliamentary office, despite the fact that all parliamentary office bills are paid for.

Mr Matsuoka had devoted almost his entire working life after studying agriculture at university to the Agriculture Ministry, but his time as a cabinet minister had always been dogged by scandal.

He was forced to publicly apologise only three days after taking office for not declaring all his political donations, and had recently also become tainted with allegations of involvement in a separate bid-rigging scandal for public construction projects, including some in own constituency.

Following the arrests last week of two government officials embroiled in the bid-rigging investigation, Mr Matsuoka told reporters that he felt personally responsible.

"I painfully feel the responsibility as a supervisory minister," he said. "I believe it is my responsibility not to let anything like this occur again."

Amid all the accusations he repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, but calls for his resignation from opposition parties, and within the ruing coalition, saw the pressure on his position begin to mount.

Mr Abe had always supported Mr Matsuoka throughout his time in the Cabinet, saying that he believed everything had been handled properly and that a resignation was unnecessary.

Times Recommends

• Cairo women fight back against harassment
• Weapons-grade flirting for Hillary and David
• More at stake in Start talks than US and Russia