Japan's communication ministry said Friday it has replaced two senior bureaucrats and is considering reprimands in the latest development of a scandal involving a son of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

Yoshinori Akimoto, director general of the information and communications bureau, and Hironobu Yumoto, deputy director general of the bureau, were transferred "in light of various situations," according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato.

The government and Suga's ruling Liberal Democratic Party are apparently seeking to minimize the impact of the scandal on Diet deliberations by the personnel change as it aims to pass bills including the fiscal 2021 budget and revisions of the Broadcasting Law.

The ministry is now conducting a probe over a potential ethics code violation by its officials, who were taken to expensive restaurants and given gifts by the son.

It also revealed that Suga's eldest son -- who works at Tohokushinsha Film Corp., a company operating satellite broadcasting services -- has admitted that he is among the voices on a recorded conversation reported by weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun.

The magazine released online what it claimed was an audio recording of the conversations between the son, Akimoto and another Tohokushinsha official, in which the son repeatedly mentions satellite broadcasting.

The prime minister's son had dined with four senior bureaucrats at the communication ministry. He became acquainted with some of them when he served as secretary to his father, who was internal affairs and communications minister between 2006 and 2007, according to the weekly magazine.

The ministry is responsible for issuing the broadcast license required by a unit of Tohokushinsha Film Corp. and the National Public Service Ethics Law prohibits central government officials from receiving favors from stakeholders.

Reversing his previous denial, Akimoto also said at a House of Representatives' Budget Committee meeting that he must have talked about satellite broadcasting with the prime minister's son.

"I deeply apologize for causing distrust among people," said communication minister Ryota Takeda, while revealing the ministry is considering reprimanding the officials involved, including Yasuhiko Taniwaki and Mabito Yoshida, both vice ministers for policy coordination.

Suga has said he was not aware of the dinner sessions between his son and the officials.

==Kyodo

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