National News Wakabayashi exits Diet due to illicit votes

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Former farm minister Masatoshi Wakabayashi resigned from the Diet on April 2 after coming under fire for manipulating a parliamentary vote earlier in the week.

Wakabayashi, a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) veteran, has been accused by the ruling Democratic Party of Japan for pressing the voting button March 31 of fellow LDP lawmaker Mikio Aoki, who was absent from an Upper House plenary vote to approve NHK's budget.

Wakabayashi submitted a letter of resignation on the morning of April 2 to Satsuki Eda, president of the Upper House.

His resignation was later accepted during an Upper House plenary session.

"I pushed the (voting) button, expecting that former (LDP) Upper House leader Mikio Aoki would be returning in a moment," Wakabayashi told reporters April 2. "I wasn't thinking straight. It was an unforgivable act, and I'd like to apologize."

According to the Upper House secretariat, records show that both Wakabayashi and Aoki voted on 10 bills during the plenary session March 31, including the fiscal 2010 budget for NHK. (The Japan Times)

自民・若林氏、不正投票で議員辞職

自民党の若林正俊元農林水産相は4月2日、参院本会議での採決時に隣の席の投票ボタンを押した問題で議員を辞職した。

Shukan ST: April 16, 2010

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