Liberal Democratic Party bigwig Kanezo Muraoka said Tuesday he offered to resign over his son's defeat in Sunday's gubernatorial race in Akita but was prevented from doing so by party elders. Muraoka heads the LDP's decision-making Executive Council.
Muraoka said at a news conference he will respect the LDP executives' views but added he will refrain from taking an active role within the council and will ask Mayumi Moriyama, acting head of the panel, to assume his duties.
"I requested that I be allowed to resign, but (LDP) Secretary General (Makoto) Koga said he cannot allow that as we are in the midst of (campaigning for) the party's presidential election," Muraoka said.
Muraoka said that, although he will not officially step down, this still constitutes a de facto resignation in terms of his own sentiments.
Kaneyuki Muraoka, who was backed by the LDP-led coalition, received only around half the number of votes garnered by Akita's incumbent governor, Sukeshiro Terata.