Incense Sticks Come Back to Burn Japan's Economy Minister
- Accusations emerged after Motegi led TPP trade pact effort
- Other ministers have been ousted under strict funding laws
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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s point man for a massive Pacific trade pact is defending his job after giving incense sticks to voters, the latest example of how even the whiff of scandal can threaten policy-making in Japan.
Toshimitsu Motegi, the economy minister who last month shepherded the revised Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal to an 11-way agreement, is facing calls for his resignation over allegations that he breached campaign laws. The accusation: handing out incense sticks.