Aurelia,

there has indeed been some reporting that Renho might have had an affair. The Japanese press for the most part simply sourced the Chinese newspaper which had first reported the affair. In December, the LDP's Nishida Shouji asked her whether she hadn't received questionable donations from the person with whom she was having this affair. However, compared to the attention that Ichikawa and Yamaoka received from both the press and the opposition parties, you are certaintly right, Renho and her alleged scandal had flown under the radar for the most part. Hence, her removal might have had less to do with the scandal than with the fact that there simply was no position for her anymore, once Noda decided he had to get Okada to join the Cabinet as vice-PM and minister in charge of administrative reform.

Best,
Chris

Chris Winkler
Senior Research Fellow
German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ) Tokyo