A Japanese vice finance minister stepped down on Monday, amid criticism from prime minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet, after admitting his company's repeated failures to pay taxes, a further setback to Kishida's unpopular government. Deputy finance minister Kenji Kanda, in charge of government bonds and monetary policy, is the third member of Kishida's cabinet to resign within two months following a cabinet shuffle in September. Kishida later told reporters that he takes responsibility for the appointment of Kanda.