Nobuteru Ishihara (Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday that Nobuteru Ishihara, a former secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, resigned from his recently appointed post of special adviser to the Cabinet amid criticism that a political party he heads received subsidies for COVID-19 relief.

       The development, a blow to Kishida who appointed Ishihara to the post only a week ago, comes as the political group was found to have received around 600,000 yen ($5,300) in pandemic-related subsidies last year.

       Kishida told reporters that Ishihara had explained that the group had received the money in accordance with proper procedures but offered to resign to avoid causing trouble.

       "I assessed that Ishihara's experience and background would be very meaningful for driving policy," said Kishida, adding that there were no issues with him as an adviser.

       Ishihara failed to win a seat in the lower house election on Oct. 31, and was appointed on Dec. 3 as a special adviser to the Cabinet in charge of tourism policy and other issues.

       According to a report by the LDP's Tokyo No. 8 electoral district branch headed by Ishihara, it received employment subsidies totaling 608,159 yen on three occasions for the April-May 2020 period.

       Ishihara's office has said that the application was submitted with the necessary documents after being verified by the relevant authorities.

       Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno had said Ishihara and his office should only provide explanations if necessary.

       But opposition parties, including Junya Ogawa, policy chief of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, have criticized the receipt of the money as inappropriate.

       Ishihara, the eldest son of outspoken former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, is a close ally of Kishida and supported him during the LDP presidential race in September.

       He had previously served as transport minister and chairman of the LDP Policy Research Council, among other posts.

       A political group headed by Toshitaka Ooka, senior vice environment minister, was also found to have received 300,000 yen in employment adjustment subsidies related to COVID-19. Kishida said he will ensure a full explanation is given.

       Ooka said Friday that while his group received the money legally, "We will promptly return the money as we deem it might cause misunderstanding among the public."

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