Shionoya Quits LDP, Ending Scandal-Linked Punishment Process

Tokyo, April 23 (Jiji Press)--Ryu Shionoya, former chairman of the General Council of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, submitted his resignation from the party on Tuesday, after the party rejected his appeal against its punishment for him over a political funds scandal involving LDP factions.

With the resignation accepted, the party's process of punishing party lawmakers involved in the scandal was concluded.

Shionoya told reporters later in the day that he will not resign as a lawmaker and intends to run in the next House of Representatives election.

Over the scandal, the party's ethics committee decided on April 4 to punish 39 people, including those who belonged to factions once led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and headed by former LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai, respectively.

Shionoya, former chair of the Abe faction, was given a recommendation to leave the party, the second-heaviest punishment under party rules after expulsion.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]