 In 1952, under the 4th Yoshida Shigeru cabinet, Inukai became Minister of Justice.He continued in the same position in the 5th Yoshida cabinet in 1953.However, in the Shipbuilding Scandal of 1954 (under pressure from Prime Minister Yoshida), Inukai refused to approve of the prosecution of future prime minister Satō Eisaku, who had been indicted for corruption and misuse of public funds.