The Social Democratic Party and its leader, Takako Doi, decided Thursday to file a libel suit with the Tokyo District Court over a magazine article that claims Doi's niece is among the Japanese women being allowed to visit next month from North Korea and that Doi is vulnerable to Pyongyang.
The suit will be filed against Shukan Bunshun's managing editor, two of its writers and a Mainichi Shimbun editorial writer quoted in the Nov. 6 issue, which came out Wednesday. "The article is totally wrong and it damages the reputation of my party and myself," Doi said at a news conference. Doi denied having a niece.
The story was based on remarks by Toshimitsu Shigemura of the Mainichi who said earlier this month in Osaka that the Japanese wives to visit may include Doi's niece. The article also reported rumors that Doi worked to include her niece in the group of women.
The SDP is scheduled to send representatives to North Korea on Nov. 11 along with those of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and New Party Sakigake. An SDP member charged later that the article is aimed at hindering improved relations between Japan and North Korea.