Japan's defense minister resigned Tuesday under attack for comments suggesting the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 were justified. Fumio Kyuma had come under an avalanche of criticism from A-bomb survivors, opposition lawmakers and fellow Cabinet members following the comments over the weekend. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe quickly named national security adviser Yuriko Koike to succeed Kyuma as Japan's first female defense minister in hopes of stabilizing the government _ and possibly winning votes _ ahead of the elections. «I told Prime Minister Abe, 'I'm sorry but I must take responsibility and resign.' The prime minister said, 'That's very unfortunate ... but I accept your decision,»' Kyuma told reporters.
