Scandal returned to the Japanese Government yesterday after another Cabinet minister was accused of lying about money only two weeks before a crucial national election.

Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister, resisted calls for the resignation of Norihiko Akagi, who took over in May as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries after his predecessor hanged himself, apparently out of shame at being embroiled in a similar scandal.

Mr Akagi claimed 123 million yen (£500,000) in expenses over 15 years for a “political office” that has turned out to be the home of his elderly parents, according to Japanese press reports. The implication is that he may have avoided tax and used the fictitious office as a means of disguising questionable payments to his political, or personal, accounts. “[The house] is the central venue for activities by the organisation and has been a base since I was first elected,” Mr Akagi said. “There has been no false accounting of costs. . . Many MPs are doing the same thing.”

But his protestations were undermined by Mr Akagi’s father. “I’ve never received any rent,” he told the Kyodo news agency. “My house has not been used as the office. I was not aware that my house had been registered as an office.”

Mr Abe’s support for his minister was less than wholehearted. “This is not such a problem,” he said. “If he needs to explain further, of course he himself will and should explain.”

On July 29 the Japanese will reelect half of the 242 members of the Upper House, the equivalent of the House of Lords. If his ruling Liberal Democratic Party loses its majority, Mr Abe will come under pressure to step down. If Mr Akagi quits he will be the fourth senior Abe appointment to resign because of scandal – the fifth if Toshikatsu Matsuoka, who hanged himself, is included.

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