Akira Amari, Minister of State for Economic Revitalization, has stepped down from his post amid a bribery scandal involving both himself and his office. Replaced by Nobuteru Ishihara, this represents one of the largest upsets in the history of Abe's largely unshakable inner circle, and it comes at a very important time for both the Prime Minister's signature Abenomics as well as the long-standing TPP negotiations.