Akira Ishii of the opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai said Friday that he plans to resign as an Upper House lawmaker due to a wages scandal involving his secretary.
Nippon Ishin has also announced it will expel Ishii from the party.
The special squad of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into Ishii on suspicion he fraudulently received funds for wages for a secretary who did not actually work for him.
In a statement sent to media organizations, Ishii said, “I plan to step down as a lawmaker and fully cooperate with the investigation.”
“I’d like to offer my deepest apology to the Japanese people for causing trouble,” he added.
