Taro Yamamoto, leader of the opposition Reiwa Shinsengumi party, resigned Wednesday from the Upper House due to health reasons.
In a video posted earlier the same day on YouTube, the 51-year-old lawmaker said he will enter an ¡°indefinite suspension of activities¡± effectively immediately, as a recent health checkup revealed he was at a stage just short of multiple myeloma, a type of cancer of the blood.
¡°If I do not focus my life right now on ensuring that it does not progress further, my life could be at risk. Therefore, I am resigning from my position as a lawmaker and taking steps to protect my own life,¡± he said in the video.
Yamamoto said his position as leader of Reiwa Shinsengumi ¡ª the party he founded in 2019 ¡ª will remain unchanged, while the day-to-day leadership duties will be handled by two co-leaders.
¡°To all the voters who elevated Taro Yamamoto to parliament, to everyone who has offered support and encouragement, and to all the volunteers who have continued to support me, I sincerely apologize for being unable to serve out my full term due to these circumstances.¡±
Formerly an actor, Yamamoto entered politics in 2011 and was elected to the Upper House for the first time in 2013. He was elected to the Lower House in 2021 and again to the Upper House in 2022.
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