Japan PM repeats wants beleaguered minister to stay

TOKYO, Feb 7 (Reuters) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologised again in parliament for remarks by his health minister calling women ''birth-giving machines'', but reiterated that he wanted the beleaguered cabinet minister to remain in his post.

Yanagisawa sparked a furore when he told supporters in a speech on January 27 touching on Japan's low birth rate: ''Because the number of birth-giving machines and devices is fixed, all we can ask for is for them to do their best per head.'' Today, the 71-year-old Yanagisawa repeated what has become an almost daily mantra of apology.

''The expression, the remark, was extremely inappropriate,'' Yanagisawa told a lower house budget committee. ''It hurt women in particular and I have reflected deeply and am truly sorry.'' Yanagisawa's gaffe is one of a series of missteps that have dogged Abe, whose popularity has slipped ahead of a July upper house election because of doubts about his leadership abilities.

Abe also apologised but said the minister should stay on.

''The health minister must create a society in which those people who want to marry and have children can realise those hopes,'' Abe told the committee.

''From now on, I want him fulfil his duties, gaining the people's trust by carrying out health and labour policies from the standpoint of the citizens,'' Abe added.

Opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Yukio Edano refused to let Yanagisawa or Abe off the hook, saying the use of the expression ''machines'' suggested they held views about families and children that were at odds with those of many citizens.

''If that gap is not resolved, no matter how much the prime minister protects him, policy achievements will unfortunately, not be possible,'' Edano said.

The Democrats and other opposition lawmakers had been boycotting parliamentary debate to pressure Yanagisawa to step down, but decided late on Tuesday to return to the hearings after the tactic came under fire as irresponsible.

REUTERS RL VV0853