In a stunning development, Democratic Party for the People (DPP) leader Yuichiro Tamaki admitted to an extramarital affair Monday morning after a tabloid magazine published photos of him and the woman he was seeing.

※The contents of the report are largely true. I＊d like to offer my sincere apologies not only to my family but also to the many people across the country who had high expectations for me,§ Tamaki said at a hastily arranged news conference, adding he told his wife and son everything. Both strongly admonished him.

Tamaki＊s admission of the affair came hours after Flash, a tabloid magazine, ran photos on its website of Tamaki, dressed in a hoodie, and a younger woman emerging from a wine bar in Tokyo＊s Shinjuku Ward on the night of Oct. 30.

Reporters for the magazine had spotted Tamaki and the woman 〞 later identified as Miyuki Koizumi, a tourism ambassador for the city of Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture 〞 together several times previously. Koizumi had denied that she was in an intimate relationship with Tamaki, who represents the Kagawa Prefecture No. 2 electoral district, which includes Takamatsu.

The scandal broke just as lawmakers were due to elect a new prime minister after last month＊s general election.

While reporters bombarded Tamaki with questions over the affair, he maintained that he has the full support of his party and will remain its leader. Following the DPP meeting, the party＊s secretary-general, Kazuya Shimba, said there were no calls for Tamaki to reconsider his position.

※Without Tamaki, the DPP wouldn＊t exist. If we lose in the Upper House (election next summer), our increase in the recent Lower House election will have been for nothing. It＊s the opinion of many DPP Upper House members that the party should begin again, with Tamaki at the center,§ Shimba said.

DPP members also backed Tamaki in Monday＊s vote for prime minister. He received the votes of all 28 DPP members in the initial round as well as the runoff despite the fact that the two finalists were Liberal Democratic Party President Shigeru Ishiba and Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan head Yoshihiko Noda.

The votes for Tamaki in the final round were rendered invalid and Ishiba was reelected as prime minister.

※I will continue to apologize, even though I may not be forgiven. At the same time, I＊d like to meet the expectations of the people who have placed their hopes in me,§ Tamaki said Monday afternoon at a meeting with DPP lawmakers before the vote.