Opposition party leadership resigns

The ex-leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, Seiji Maehara, listens to a reporter's question during a press conference at party headquarters in Tokyo yesterday. PHOTO: AP

The entire leadership of Japan's biggest opposition party resigned yesterday over a scandal surrounding an e-mail falsely accusing a ruling party leader's son of financial links with disgraced Internet company Livedoor.

Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leader Seiji Maehara and his lieutenants' resignations were the latest blow to the group in the scandal, which has deeply damaged the only credible competitor to the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

"It is my responsibility that the problem was not dealt with immediately," Maehara said following his resignation.

The DPJ issued a public apology earlier this month after it found that allegations made by lawmaker Hisayasu Nagata in Parliament -- in which he alleged financial links between the son of LDP Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe and Livedoor Co. -- were unfounded.

Nagata backed up his allegations with a purported e-mail from Livedoor president Takafumi Horie ordering a company official to pay Takebe's son. But Nagata later acknowledged he was unable to verify the e-mail's authenticity.

Nagata expressed his intention to give up his parliamentary seat, Maehara said.

The scandal and the resignation of the DPJ leadership have been harsh on the party, which as recently as a year ago was considered a serious contender for the power held by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's LDP.

But the party was decimated in elections for the powerful lower house of parliament in September as Koizumi rode a wave of popularity and support for his reform program.

Maehara charge of the party after the post-election resignation of leader Katsuya Okada, but under his leadership the party was unable to regain its earlier popularity.

Maehara he hoped his stepping down would set the stage for the party to rebuild.

"I arrived at my decision to take responsibility as the country's largest opposition party, to win back the public's trust and to achieve the party goal of taking over the government in the next election," he said.

Horie four other Livedoor executives have been under arrest since January on charges of doctoring financial results, artificially inflating stocks and providing false information about earnings of a subsidiary.