2 days ago
LDP lawmaker steps down as chair of Upper House committee over verbal gaffe
The chair of the Upper House Budget Committee has resigned from his post to take responsibility for a verbal gaffe about a powerful earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula in central Japan last year.
Committee chair Tsuruho Yosuke of the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party has come under fire for the remarks on July 8. He said, "Fortunately, there was an earthquake in the Noto Peninsula, which allows Wajima residents to get their residence certificates in Kanazawa City." That is where they evacuated to at the time.
He made the comment during an Upper House election campaign speech to explain the need for two-region lifestyles in which people can live and work in multiple places.
The next day he apologized for his lack of consideration for victims and retracted the comment.
But Tsuruho has continued to be criticized by members of both the ruling and opposition parties, as well as residents of the disaster-hit region.
His successor as chair will likely be chosen at an extraordinary session of the Diet that will be convened following the Upper House election this Sunday.
