The Democratic Party of Japan expelled House of Representatives member Junichiro Koga from its ranks Thursday over his false academic claims, rejecting his earlier move to leave the party voluntarily.

The unanimous decision was reached at an extraordinary meeting of the party's Standing Officers' Council in accordance with a proposal made by DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada.

In refusing to accept Koga's tender for resignation, the council imposed the most severe punishment possible under the DPJ's ethics rules because Koga's conduct "greatly damaged public confidence."