Hagiuda Resigns As Tokyo Leader

The head of Tokyo Branch of the Liberal Democratic Party, Koichi Hagiuda, announced his intention to step down as the head, taking responsibility of bitter defeat in the by-elections of Tokyo local assembly voted on July 7. Although Hagiuda was punished to be suspended party posts in the slush fund scandal, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida let him stay for taking leadership for the by-election. Kishida, as president of the LDP, is also asked his responsibility. 

Known as one of “the five guys” in Abe faction, Hagiuda failed in reporting 27 million yen of political fund received from the faction between 2018 and 2022. He was punished by the party, with other lawmakers, with suspension of party leader’s position. Comparing with other leaders of Abe faction who were recommended to leave the party, the discipline on Hagiuda was said as too light. There was a speculation in the LDP that Kishida had made an unfair decision to keep Hagiuda close to him.

 

Hagiuda stayed as the head of Tokyo branch, dismissing internal accuzation that Hagiuda was stripped any title of the party leaders. The party board explained that the position of local leader was not included in the penalty. While Hagiuda was regarded as keeping moderate relationship with Tokyo governor, Yuriko Koike, who won the gubernatorial election on the same day of the by-election. But, Koike did not receive any official support from the LDP and the Hagiuda’s connection with her was regarded as not working. The LDP not only could not have a candidate to support in the gubernatorial election, but did not achieve Koike’s support for LDP candidates in the by-elections.

 

Result of the by-election was miserable for the LDP Tokyo. Although the LDP fielded eight candidates, it secured only two. One of the six districts the LDP lost was Hachioji, from where Hagiuda has been elected as a member of the House of Representatives. The main reason of the LDP’s slump was nothing but the slush fund scandal. Hagiuda was one of the lawmakers who was at the center of the scandal.

 

“The responsibility of me as the leader of the by-election was large. I will leave the position of the head of Tokyo LDP,” said Hagiuda to the reporters in the headquarters of LDP. He admitted that the national politics in the Diet affected the local election in Tokyo, indicating negative impact of the slush fund scandal.

 

There were some perspectives in the LDP that Hagiuda’s stay as the leader of Tokyo caused negative image among the voters against the party, or that he should have leave earlier. Some referred to responsibility of Kishida, because it was hard to understand for the voters that the penalty of stripping title was not applied to local leadership. Kishida did not punish himself, even though he had been the head of his faction which was also been involved in the scandal.

 

The LDP will have elections of the House of Councillors and Tokyo Local Assembly next year. It is likely that a snap election of the House of Representatives will be held before the end of term at October next year. Kishida’s basis as the prime minister, the top leader for the elections, is further jeopardized.

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