Japan minister commits suicide, adds to PM's woes

By Linda Sieg and George Nishiyama

TOKYO (Reuters) - A scandal-tainted minister in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet committed suicide on Monday, compounding problems for the Japanese leader whose support has slumped ahead of a July election.

It was the first suicide by a Japanese cabinet minister since the days after Japan's defeat in World War Two, according to officials at the national library.

"This will have serious political fallout, but at this point it's hard to tell how much," a government official told Reuters.

Agriculture Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka's suicide came as Abe's public support rate fell to its lowest level since he took office last September, due largely to voter anger over mismanagement of pension premiums that could shortchange retirees.

The dent in Abe's popularity had already increased chances that his ruling camp would lose its majority in the election for parliament's upper house, his first big test at the polls.

Matsuoka, 62, under fire for a series of political funding scandals, died in hospital after he was found unconscious in his room at a Tokyo residential complex for lawmakers.

Police said he hanged himself but declined to comment on Japanese media reports that he left five or six suicide notes.

Kyodo said one note was addressed to Abe and that another one with no addressee said: "I am sorry for causing trouble".

A visibly-shaken Abe told reporters: "I am overwhelmed with shame. I deeply hope his soul will rest in peace."

Matsuoka, who had repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, had been scheduled to be grilled again in parliament later on Monday.

Critics had charged that Abe was protecting Matsuoka, and the prime minister's image would likely suffer in the short term, political analysts said. But they added that the long-term fallout could depend on how Abe handled the matter.

PENSION WOES

"It's hard to say what will happen. It depends on Abe's response," said Jun Iio, a political science professor at the National Graduate Institute for Political Studies.

"This could make it hard for the opposition to follow up on the scandals, but it could also give the impression that there was something so bad that he had to commit suicide."

Opposition leaders expressed shock at Matsuoka's suicide.