Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, seeking to soothe voter outrage over political corruption that contributed to a devastating election loss, sacked his scandal-tainted farm minister yesterday.

Politicians and analysts said the dismissal came too late to help improve the image of Abe, who has vowed to stay on despite the weekend drubbing that cost his coalition its majority in parliament's upper house.

But with no appealing candidates to replace him and polls showing the public split on whether he should go, the wounded leader looked likely to limp along, although one possible successor, Foreign Minister Taro Aso, said he would seek the job if Abe quit.