Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Masanori Goto submitted a letter of resignation Tuesday to House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono over the illegal rewards one of his aides paid to campaign workers in the Sept. 11 election.
Kono accepted Goto's resignation later in the day after it was approved by members of the Lower House Rules and Administration Committee.
Miho Takai, the runnerup to Goto in the same proportional representation block, will automatically get his Diet seat.
Goto, 66, lost in the Kochi No. 1 single-seat district but gained a seat under the proportional representation system in the Shikoku block. The lawmaker is serving his sixth term.
The resignation came a day after Goto's government-paid policy secretary, Masatoshi Yabuki, pleaded guilty at the Kochi District Court to charges of violating the Public Offices Election Law by paying campaign workers in return for soliciting votes for Goto in the September election.
On Monday, Goto said he would resign from the Diet after it apparently became certain he would lose his seat due to Yabuki's plea.
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