Reiwa Shinsengumi Head Quits Lower House

Tokyo, April 15 (Jiji Press)--Taro Yamamoto, leader of Japanese opposition party Reiwa Shinsengumi, on Friday submitted his resignation as a House of Representatives member to run in this summer's House of Councillors election.

"I've decided to resign because I think it's necessary to increase the party's seats in the next election" for the upper chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, Yamamoto told a press conference.

"There is a need to expand a force that can put a brake" on the Liberal Democratic Party-led administration, he said.

Yamamoto said he will run in a prefectural constituency in the Upper House election, hopefully in one where the party has not fielded a candidate.

He was elected to the all-important lower chamber from the Tokyo proportional representation bloc in October last year. His resignation is expected to be approved at a Lower House plenary meeting as early as Tuesday.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]