Japanese lawmaker Anri Kawai resigns over 2019 vote-buying scandal
February 3, 2021 (Mainichi Japan)
In this Jan. 20, 2020 file photo, Anri Kawai, a House of Councillors member, speaks to reporters at the Diet in Tokyo. (Mainichi/Junichi Sasaki)
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Upper house member Anri Kawai, who was found guilty last month of vote buying in the 2019 election, resigned as a lawmaker on Wednesday, dealing a further blow to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's administration already suffering from falling approval ratings.
Kawai, who left the ruling Liberal Democratic Party due to the allegation, chose to quit before the two-week period allowed to file an appeal in her case ends Thursday. She would have been removed as a lawmaker automatically if and when the court ruling is finalized.