Ryu Shionoya, former chairman of the General Council of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, submitted his resignation from the party on Tuesday, after the party rejected his appeal against its punishment for him over a political funds scandal involving LDP factions.
With the acceptance of the resignation, the LDP's process of punishing party lawmakers involved in the scandal concluded.
Shionoya told reporters later in the day that he will not resign as a lawmaker and intends to run in the next House of Representatives election.
Over the scandal, the party's ethics committee decided on April 4 to punish 39 people, including those who belonged to factions once led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and headed by former LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai, respectively.
Shionoya, former chair of the Abe faction, was given a recommendation to leave the party, the second-heaviest punishment under party rules after expulsion.
The party planned to expel Shionoya if he did not leave the party by Thursday.
On Tuesday, Shionoya reiterated his criticism of the party leadership, saying, "The punishment was a done deal, and I cannot help but raise a question."
"I want to work for the people as an independent lawmaker now," Shionoya said. "I will also work hard for the next election."
Hiroshige Seko, former LDP secretary-general in the House of Councilors, was also urged to leave the party, and unlike Shionoya, he left the party immediately.
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