Komeito Leader Ishii Announces Resignation

   Tokyo, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)--Keiichi Ishii, leader of Komeito, the junior coalition partner of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Thursday that he will resign to take responsibility for his party's loss of seats, including his own, in Sunday's election for the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Japan's parliament.
   Komeito decided to unofficially appoint his successor at an executive meeting Nov. 7 and elect the successor at an extraordinary party convention Nov. 9.
   "It was a very tough election result for our party. It is all my responsibility," Ishii said at a party executive meeting Thursday, explaining that he will resign as he believes a parliamentary member should head Komeito.
   According to Ishii, Makoto Nishida, secretary-general of Komeito, also tendered his resignation, but decided to remain in office at the request of the outgoing leader.
   Ishii became the party's leader only on Sept. 28. He lost in the No. 14 district of Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, in Sunday's Lower House election. He will have been in office as Komeito leader for just over a month, the shortest tenure since the party was re-established in 1998.

(2024/10/31-16:48)

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