Kurauchi Quits as Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly Head

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)--Isao Kurauchi on Tuesday resigned as head of the Fukuoka prefectural assembly in southwestern Japan, as an assembly member and as chief of the National Association of Chairpersons of Prefectural Assemblies.

Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, the 72-year-old said: "I've decided to step down as chief of the association. At the same time, I'll resign as head of the (Fukuoka) prefectural assembly and as an assembly member."

Satoshi Itahashi, deputy head of the prefectural assembly, accepted Kurauchi's resignation.

The Fukuoka prefectural assembly is caught up in a scandal centered around former heads and deputy heads of the assembly who claim that they paid large sums of cash to senior officials of the assembly's group of the Liberal Democratic Party, the country's ruling party, before assuming their posts.

Kurauchi, who is a member of the LDP, said in a statement released on Tuesday, "It's not my intention for the prefectural assembly to remain in turmoil over my political fate."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]