Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism Minister Nariaki Nakayama has resigned to take responsibility for his controversial comments that included his assertion that the lack of progress on plans to expand Narita Airport could be blamed on local residents who held out against expansion for personal gain [and that Japan was an “ethnically homogeneous state.”].
His resignation occurs less than five days since the inauguration of the new Cabinet on Sep. 24, calling into question the prime minister’s responsibility for appointing him.
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20080928p2a00m0na002000c.html