Japan’s interior minister gave an enthusiastic endorsement to a book praising Adolf Hitler, it has emerged, creating further embarrassment for the country’s nationalist prime minister, Shinzo Abe.
Sanae Takaichi, minister for internal affairs and communications, was quoted in a magazine advertisement for the 1994 book The Hitler Election Strategy: A Bible for Certain Victory in Modern Elections by Yoshio Ogai, an official in Mr Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party.
The book was withdrawn from sale by its author a few weeks after publication. It had drawn criticism from Jewish groups around the world and the Israeli government.
Two other women cabinet ministers resigned from Mr Abe’s government on Monday after becoming embroiled in corruption scandals.
The book, illustrated with cartoons of a smiling Führer and furnished