The Liberal Democratic Party on the 10th removed Yuko Obuchi, a former economy, trade and industry minister, as vice chair of its tax research commission after she abstained on a consumption tax cut and support payment bill.
Obuchi, Ishiba and two other LDP lawmakers abstained when the bill came to a vote at a plenary session of the lower house. They were reprimanded on the 9th.
Obuchi told reporters on the 10th that she had been dismissed from the tax panel post. On the morning of the same day, Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi and Deputy Secretary-General Koichi Hagiuda urged her to resign.
“I cannot resign of my own accord. But if I am not needed, I want the person with the authority to appoint me to fire me.”Yuko Obuchi, LDP lawmaker
She was then informed of the dismissal by the panel's chair, Itsunori Onodera. Yoshihisa Furukawa, who also abstained, resigned as vice chair himself.
The party tax panel will put together the LDP's position on tax revisions for the next fiscal year by the end of the year. It has about 20 vice chairs.
The bill now moves to the upper house, where debate begins on the 11th. Opposition parties are pressing the case that the legislation is flawed.
The Democratic Party for the People opposed the bill in the lower house, saying the scope of the support payments and other details of the program remain unclear.
“It has been proven that the content of the bill is such that former ministers and a former prime minister have no choice but to oppose it.”Yuichiro Tamaki, DPP leader
Tamaki also said at a news conference on the 10th that without a full picture of the program in the upper house, "we cannot have a proper discussion."
Komeito leader Mitsunari Okamoto said at his own news conference the same day that even people who held important roles in the LDP are raising major questions. The bill should be improved so the public can accept it, he said.