Tokyo - The Japanese government was rocked last night by an announcement by Mr Hidenao Nakagawa, one of its most senior members, that he would resign today, reports Paul Murphy. Dogged as he was by allegations in recent weeks of links with an extreme right-wing group and an extramarital affair, the resignation of the government's Chief Cabinet Secretary was not totally unexpected.
But his departure in a cloud of sleaze is another blow to the weak administration of the Prime Minister, Mr Yoshiro Mori, who gave full support to his close confidant and political ally.