Tokyo Governor Resigns after Funds Scandal

Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe on Wednesday submitted his resignation over a political funds scandal amid mounting pressure from assembly members, a Japanese assembly source said.

    The move came as the Tokyo assembly was set to pass a no-confidence motion against Masuzoe filed by all major assembly groups later Wednesday.

    The ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which supported Masuzoe in the gubernatorial election in February 2014, joined other groups in proposing the motion at a meeting of the assembly's steering committee, apparently prompting the governor to decide to step down, Japan's News Agency (Kyodo) reported.

    The Tokyo Metropolitan Electoral Management Committee said it is arranging to hold an election to pick Masuzoe's successor on July 31 or Aug. 7. It is supposed to take place within 50 days after the assembly chairman notifies the committee of the governor's resignation, which is likely to take place next Tuesday.

    The 67-year-old governor has been under fire for costly business trips and for using political funds for purposes which an investigation, requested by Masuzoe, found "improper" but not illegal.

    Assembly members have stepped up pressure on Masuzoe to leave the post, with many deeming the governor's explanations in an intensive question-and-answer session earlier this week unsatisfactory. But the former welfare minister Tuesday requested the steering committee grant him a "moratorium" to allow him to stay in the post at least until the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August, citing a possible negative impact on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

    Masuzoe assumed the post after his predecessor, Naoki Inose, resigned in December 2013 for inappropriately receiving money from a hospital chain operator. The former LDP lawmaker's main rival was Morihiro Hosokawa, a former prime minister. 

Source ; QNA