sentences:  He was Minister of Science and Technology 2001–2002.He was appointed Minister of Finance on 26 September 2006.He was conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service by the University of Cambodia in 2007 and by the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in 2018.Omi has previously supported increases in the national consumption tax, although Abe has distanced himself from this policy and seeks to achieve much of his budget balancing through spending cuts.