Akira Ishii of the opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai said Friday that he plans to resign as an Upper House lawmaker due to a wages scandal involving alleged payments to a secretary that did not actually work for him.
Nippon Ishin has also announced it will expel Ishii from the party.
The special squad of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor¡¯s Office has launched an investigation into Ishii on suspicion he fraudulently received funds for wages for a secretary who did not actually work for him.
In a statement sent to media organizations, Ishii said, ¡°I plan to step down as a lawmaker and fully cooperate with the investigation.¡±
¡°I¡¯d like to offer my deepest apology to the Japanese people for causing trouble,¡± he added.
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