Tokyo, Nov. 9 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party decided Monday to reprimand four of its Diet members, including former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, for abstaining from Friday's parliamentary vote on a consumption tax cut bill.

The four also included former LDP Election Strategy Committee chair Yuko Obuchi, former Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa and Hajime Funada, former chief of the now-defunct Economic Planning Agency.

On Friday, the tax cut bill was approved by the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, with support from the LDP-Japan Innovation Party coalition, and sent to the Senate, the upper chamber.

According to the LDP, it is the first time that a former prime minister has been disciplined under party rules. The LDP leadership determined that some form of punishment was necessary amid concerns within the party that dissenting votes could also emerge during deliberations in the Senate.

Speaking to reporters at the Diet, Ishiba said he had "no choice but to accept the decision with the utmost seriousness."

The four LDP lawmakers abstained from Friday's parliamentary vote on the consumption tax cut bill. (From left) Former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, former LDP Election Strategy Committee chair Yuko Obuchi, former Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa, and Hajime Funada, former chief of the now-defunct Economic Planning Agency
LDP Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki speaks at a press conference at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo's Nagatacho district on Monday.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]