Tokyo governor resigns to form new party
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E-mail Xinhua, October 26, 2012
Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara announced his resignation Thursday, saying he plans to form a new political party to challenge the ruling Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Democratic Party in the next general election.
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Shintaro Ishihara [file photo] |
In an unexpected news conference at the metropolitan government office, Ishihara, 80, an outspoken nationalist with hawkish views towards China, said the nation needs political realignment.
"I'm creating a new party and along with its members, my colleagues, I'll be returning to national politics," Ishihara said.
"I will follow the path I've set as Tokyo governor for the past fourteen years," said the veteran politician, indicating his nationalistic stance and plans to continue his radical right-wing approach.
The novelist-turned-politician, who has held the post of Tokyo governor for four terms since 1999, has often shocked, upset and aggravated both Japanese citizens as well as neighboring countries with tactless comments, such as those denying Japan's militaristic past and brutal occupation of East Asian countries during World War II.
Ishihara has also been quoted as saying he doesn't accept or believe Japan's well-documented "Rape of Nanking" in 1937 and more recently also dismayed and angered China with plans in April to purchase some of the Diaoyu Islands.
"There are several contradictions, big contradictions, which we hope the state itself will solve," he told reporters earlier today.
The plans to purchase and develop the islands led to the central government here "nationalizing" them in September, in a move that escalated a simmering territorial row between Tokyo and Beijing, and saw ties between the two nations sour bitterly.
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