Parliament must unravel suspicions first -- JCP on former Upper House president's resignation

Former House of Councilors President Inoue Yutaka resigned from the Upper House on May 2 in connection with the allegations about a rigged bid for a public works project.

Inoue announced his resignation immediately after his former secretary along with three other people were arrested on suspicion of obstructing a fair bid for the construction of a recreational facility to be built in Chiba Prefecture by leaking its assumed price. "I will take political, moral and social responsibility," he said at a news conference.

Soon after the allegation about Inoue's involvement surfaced, he resigned as Upper House president, saying he had done nothing wrong.

Inoue's former secretary, Handa Yoshio, became the third parliamentary secretary to be arrested on suspicion of taking advantage of their positions to profit from public works projects.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on the same day emphasized that the Budget Committees of both houses must unravel the alleged suspicions, including those linked with public works projects, before going into the discussions on the wartime legislation or the adverse revision of the medical services system. (end)