Four days after a devastating defeat in the Lower House general election, New Komeito leader Akihiro Ota announced Thursday he is stepping down to take responsibility for his party's poor showing.
"The election result was extremely harsh for our party," Ota told a news conference. "All the responsibility lies with me as the party's leader, and I have come to the decision to resign."
Along with Ota, New Komeito Secretary General Kazuo Kitagawa also declared his intention to step down. Both key lawmakers lost their Diet seats in Sunday's election.