Former ruling party member Megumi Hirose resigned on Thursday as a lawmaker of the House of Councillors over allegations that one of her secretaries had fraudulently received a salary using state funds.
Hirose, 58, said in a statement that it is true that one of her secretaries did indeed receive funds from the salary of her primary state-funded secretary.
"I decided that it is not appropriate for me to remain as a lawmaker" given this thoughtless act, she said.
Hirose was elected to the Upper House from the Iwate prefectural constituency. A by-election to fill the vacancy left by her resignation is expected to take place on Oct. 27.
Hirose quit the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on July 30 when investigators from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office searched locations related to her on suspicions of fraud over the allegations.