A reform-minded Japanese lawmaker once seen as a future prime minister said on Monday he would quit the ruling party over a scandal involving his former aide but would not give up his seat in parliament, Kyodo news agency said.
The move by former Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Koichi Kato was unlikely to solve the woes of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, whose support is slipping due to his handling of a separate scandal involving another ruling party lawmaker.
A former aide and "treasurer" to Kato was arrested last week for allegedly evading 100 million yen ($773,900) in income taxes, and Japanese media said the aide also allegedly concealed some 280 million yen received from firms in exchange for helping them win government contracts.
Kato's decision to quit the LDP follows a similar move on Friday by lawmaker Muneo Suzuki, who is under fire for a lengthy list of misdeeds including meddling with foreign policy and intervening in the awarding of government-funded projects.
Public opinion polls have shown most voters think Suzuki should give up his seat in parliament's Lower House and opposition parties -- who say the scandals lay bare the deep-seated corruption in the long-ruling LDP -- have said they would press for both him and Kato to go.
(China Daily March 18, 2002)
