Komeito lawmaker Masashi Kumano, who was reported to have repeatedly sexually harassed a female acquaintance, submitted his resignation request and was granted permission.

In September, Komeito member of the House of Councilors Masashi Kumano was reported to have repeatedly sexually harassed female acquaintances by sending obscene messages on LINE to several weekly magazines.



Under these circumstances, Mr. Kumano submitted his resignation as a member to the Speaker of the House of Councilors Otsuji on the morning of the 30th through his secretary.

His resignation was granted immediately, and Mr. Kumano resigned as a member of the House of Councilors.



According to Komeito, Mr. Kumano has been hospitalized since late August, and when his family and a lawyer met on the 29th, he indicated his intention to resign and signed a resignation petition.



Kumano is a 57-year-old member of the House of Councilors proportional representation.

After working as a doctor at university hospitals, etc., he was elected to the House of Councilors for the first time in 2016 and served as Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.



He was elected to the House of Councilors for the second time this July.



Following Mr. Kumano's resignation, Mr. Masaru Miyazaki is expected to be elected from the Komeito list of proportional representation in the House of Councilors election in July this year.