ID :
119113
Wed, 04/28/2010 - 07:32
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/119113
The shortlink copeid
Ex-ministers Yosano, Masuzoe expelled from LDP+
TOKYO, April 27 Kyodo - The Liberal Democratic Party decided Tuesday to expel former ministers Kaoru Yosano and Yoichi Masuzoe, who recently launched new parties after submitting letters of resignation to the main opposition party.
The party's Ethics Committee decided at its meeting to impose the heaviest
punishment against the two veteran lawmakers, rather than simply accepting
their resignations, as it determined their actions weakened the party's unity.
After the meeting, Hirofumi Nakasone, the committee chairman, said the two
lawmakers received the most severe punishment as they had won their current
seats on the LDP ticket under the proportional representation system in the
2009 House of Representatives election and the 2007 House of Councillors
election, respectively.
''Both should resign from the Diet and give their seats back to the LDP,''
Nakasone said, adding that the party also decided to accept without punishment
resignation by five other LDP lawmakers who joined the parties set up by Yosano
and Masuzoe.
The five lawmakers are Hiroyuki Sonoda, Takao Fujii and Yoshio Nakagawa who
joined Yosano's party, and Tetsuro Yano and Masakatsu Koike, who became members
of Masuzoe's party.
Some LDP members had opposed the expulsion of Yosano and Masuzoe, claiming that
the party should take into consideration the fact that they launched their
parties with the aim of driving the ruling Democratic Party of Japan out of
power, the same aim the LDP holds.
With an upper house election coming up this summer, Yosano, a former finance
minister, formed the Sunrise Party of Japan earlier this month, while Masuzoe,
a former health, labor and welfare minister, set up Shinto Kaikaku last week.
''The decision was an unavoidable one,'' LDP Secretary General Tadamori Oshima
told a press conference. ''We will form a united front and campaign at full
strength toward the upper house election.''
Both Yosano and Masuzoe had harshly criticized LDP President Sadakazu Tanigaki
for his failure to regain voter support that has been sagging since the party's
humiliating defeat in last year's lower house election.
==Kyodo
The party's Ethics Committee decided at its meeting to impose the heaviest
punishment against the two veteran lawmakers, rather than simply accepting
their resignations, as it determined their actions weakened the party's unity.
After the meeting, Hirofumi Nakasone, the committee chairman, said the two
lawmakers received the most severe punishment as they had won their current
seats on the LDP ticket under the proportional representation system in the
2009 House of Representatives election and the 2007 House of Councillors
election, respectively.
''Both should resign from the Diet and give their seats back to the LDP,''
Nakasone said, adding that the party also decided to accept without punishment
resignation by five other LDP lawmakers who joined the parties set up by Yosano
and Masuzoe.
The five lawmakers are Hiroyuki Sonoda, Takao Fujii and Yoshio Nakagawa who
joined Yosano's party, and Tetsuro Yano and Masakatsu Koike, who became members
of Masuzoe's party.
Some LDP members had opposed the expulsion of Yosano and Masuzoe, claiming that
the party should take into consideration the fact that they launched their
parties with the aim of driving the ruling Democratic Party of Japan out of
power, the same aim the LDP holds.
With an upper house election coming up this summer, Yosano, a former finance
minister, formed the Sunrise Party of Japan earlier this month, while Masuzoe,
a former health, labor and welfare minister, set up Shinto Kaikaku last week.
''The decision was an unavoidable one,'' LDP Secretary General Tadamori Oshima
told a press conference. ''We will form a united front and campaign at full
strength toward the upper house election.''
Both Yosano and Masuzoe had harshly criticized LDP President Sadakazu Tanigaki
for his failure to regain voter support that has been sagging since the party's
humiliating defeat in last year's lower house election.
==Kyodo
