New Japanese farm minister resigns over money scandal

Japan's agriculture minister resigned Monday only a week after his appointment because of a scandal involving misuse of farm subsidies, the third Cabinet minister to step down in four months. Agriculture Minister Takehiko Endo submitted a resignation to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe early Monday and Abe accepted it. "I apologize. The series of scandals has added to the people's distrust," Endo told reporters in announcing his resignation.