2ND LD: Tanaka sends resignation letter to LDP

Japan Policy & Politics, Oct 28, 2003

NIIGATA, Japan, Oct. 22 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING INFO, RECASTING)

Former Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, who is expected to run in the House of Representatives general election in November, submitted Wednesday a letter of resignation from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to the party's headquarters in Tokyo through an aide.

The move will likely be a big blow for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi as Tanaka, who played a key role in helping him win the LDP presidency and become premier in April 2001, is expected to step up her attacks against the LDP before the election.

Tanaka became Japan's first female foreign minister in Koizumi's first cabinet in 2001, but was sacked after becoming involved in highly publicized disputes with ministry officials and other lawmakers in the course of her attempts to change the ministry.

The party will put on hold its decision on her membership until after the lower house election on Nov. 9, LDP Secretary General Shinzo Abe said, adding he does not know whether this will have a great impact on the national race.

Under LDP rules, the party's ethics committee decides whether to accept the resignation of existing or former LDP lawmakers.

The LDP leadership apparently wants to avoid going against the popular former foreign minister in Niigata Prefecture and elsewhere.

Tanaka is expected to run in the election as an independent for the Niigata seat she gave up in August last year following allegations she had misused state funds for paying secretaries. Prosecutors had launched an investigation into the allegations but last month said there was no case against her.

She has not yet formally announced her candidacy. But her aides said she told her office earlier this month that she will run as an independent.

On Monday, Tanaka, the daughter of the late Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, said she had no choice but to leave the LDP. She made the comment at a meeting of her supporters in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture.

Meanwhile, Naoto Kan, president of the country's largest opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), and other opposition lawmakers warmly welcomed Tanaka's decision.

''The possibilities have opened up even more,'' Kan said to reporters in Okayama. ''I understand that she has now become free from having to support the LDP.''

Ichiro Ozawa, who headed the Liberal Party until his party recently merged with the DPJ, said, ''It is wonderful that more lawmakers and citizens can find out about the fake politics led by Mr. Koizumi.''

Tanaka's letter addressed to Koizumi on Wednesday said, ''I understand my membership has been voided because my membership fees were unpaid after 2002. To avoid foreseeable misunderstanding and confusion, I hereby just in case submit the letter today.''

The LDP suspended her party membership for two years in June 2002 after media reports in April that year alleged she misused the state funds for her aides -- which she denied before a lower house ethics panel.

The LDP had told Tanaka that she was still part of the party even though her membership was suspended.