Lower House resolution calling for resignation of mob-related lawmaker blocked by ruling coalition

The three ruling coalition parties used their majority to block a resolution calling for the resignation of Matsunami Kenshiro, New Conservative Party member of the House of Representatives, who was discovered to have connections with gangsters.

The resolution had been submitted by the four opposition parties, including the Japanese Communist Party and the Democratic Party in late April.

At the Lower House Steering Committee meeting on June 13, the opposition parties proposed a motion to put their resolution to a discussion and vote in the Lower House Plenary Session.

In the meeting, Kodama Kenji of the JCP said, "Mr. Matsunami should have resigned immediately after the revelation of his connections with gangsters."

A New Conservative Party representative defended Matsunami, saying that "Members of parliament must be protected as elected representatives of the people."

A Komei Party representative opposed the resolution on the grounds that "Matsunami has not been prosecuted and is not under criminal investigation."

On this scandal, the parliament only has questioned Matsunami at a meeting of the Lower House Deliberative Council on Political Ethics. Despite public criticism of his behaviors as inappropriate for a legislator, Matsunami has consistently said he would not resign. (end)