The Speaker Steps Down

As the Speaker of United States House of Representatives was removed from the seat, the Speaker of House of Representatives in Japan is stepping down with a different reason. Asahi Shimbun reported that the Speaker Hiroyuki Hosoda revealed his intention to resign in the next session of the Diet. He has been in an uneasy health condition, since he was hospitalized with a heat stroke in July. There are criticisms against Hosoda on not explaining enough about his relationship with Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, which has close connection with Liberal Democratic Party. Both speakers are, in a sense, the victims of party politics.

Hosoda gave a speech at the meeting of an organization related to FFWPU in October 2019, in which he said he would report about the meeting to then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Hosoda and Abe was affiliated to the same faction, Seiwa-kai, in LDP. After the assassination of Abe revealed the long and close relationship between LDP and FFWPU, Hosoda’s speech was spotlighted. Although he explained about his relationship to the party leaders of the House, Hosoda has not delivered any announcement on the issue to the public.

 

Hosoda also had other problems. In the discussion over election reform in the House of Representatives, replacing ten seats from rural districts to urban ones, Hosoda denounced the reform as bullying rural region last year. The bill had passed the Diet the previous year. Even if Hosoda’s district is not directly affected from the reform, he is a Representative of one of the rural districts, Shimane. His intervention to already concluded reform was recognized as violation of neutrality as the Speaker.

 

Hosoda is also suspected to be involved in a sexual harassment scandal. Weekly Bunshun magazine reported last year that Hosoda asked a female journalist “Do you have any boyfriend?” or “Would you come by my house now?” to another one. Although Hosoda denied the report immediately, he did not accept the request of having press conference. That attitude was publicly recognized as irresponsible.

 

The Speaker of US House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, was ousted by the revolt of some fellow Republican Congressmen, who opposed McCarthy’s stance leaning on Democrats side. Hosoda’s resignation was triggered by his political activity leaning on the party he was from. The relationship between LDP and FFWPU was said to have been established by Abe’s grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi. To have close relationship with FFWPU was to show loyalty to the boss of LDP. It is always not easy for a speaker to be neutral.

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