In a surprise move, former Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka on Friday tendered her resignation to the House of Representatives in an apparent move to take responsibility for allegations that she misappropriated her secretaries' salaries.
The resignation was submitted to Lower House Speaker Tamisuke Watanuki just before noon at his official residence. Watanuki later approved the resignation, according to the secretariat of the Lower House.
Later Friday, Tanaka told reporters outside her Tokyo home that she first considered resigning from the Diet when the Liberal Democratic Party handed her a two-year suspension June 20, effectively booting her out of the party.