Kiyomi Tsujimoto, an outspoken former opposition lawmaker indicted on charges of defrauding the state, indicated Saturday that she will not stand in the House of Representatives election expected to be called next month.
Tsujimoto, 43, sent a message to a meeting of the Social Democratic Party's Osaka chapter that reads, "I would like to fulfill all my responsibilities concerning the (fraud) case by way of seeking judgment in court. I will not be running in the general election."
The chapter then formally decided not to field her as a candidate. Tsujimoto represented Osaka's No. 10 district for the SDP. It also accepted her resignation as a representative of the chapter, but she remains an SDP member.