Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday evening apologized over the arrest of a former justice minister he had appointed, saying the action was ¡°regrettable¡± and that he ¡°feels acutely¡± his responsibility of having appointed the individual in the first place.
¡°I apologize to Japanese people from the bottom of my heart,¡± Abe said at the beginning of his hourlong news conference and bowed his head lightly. ¡°We, the members of the Diet, should take critical public opinion seriously and shape up once again taking (the arrest) as an opportunity.¡±
Public prosecutors on the same day arrested Katsuyuki Kawai and his lawmaker wife, Anri Kawai, over vote-buying during her successful Upper House election bid last summer. Katsuyuki Kawai previously served as Abe¡¯s adviser and justice minister.
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