Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Junichiro Koga came under suspicion Tuesday of falsely claiming he had graduated from a California university.
In November, Koga won the Fukuoka No. 2 single-seat district in the House of Representatives general election, ousting Taku Yamasaki, 67, then Liberal Democratic Party vice president.
When Koga, 45, filed his candidacy, he claimed that he had graduated from Pepperdine University in 1982.
On Tuesday, the university told a news conference in California that although Koga had been enrolled between 1978 and 1982, he had never received a degree.
Koga said he will visit the university to prove his case.
"The fact that the university stated (its views on the case) is grave," DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada said after the party's senior officials met Tuesday morning. "But we don't fully grasp the situation yet, and acknowledge the intention of the person concerned to answer for his own acts."
Okada said the DPJ will deal with the matter after Koga has met with university officials.
The ruling LDP sharply criticized the incident, and LDP Secretary General Shinzo Abe called for Koga's resignation.
"Although he should decide on his course of action himself, he bears extremely grave moral and political responsibility," Abe told a news conference. "If (the news) is true, (his conduct) would warrant his resignation."
Abe said a candidate's career or academic record is very important to voters. Koga's conduct might have contravened the Public Officers Election Act, he added.
Yamasaki would probably run in a by-election in a bid to take over from Koga if the incumbent is forced to resign.
The veteran LDP lawmaker has been waiting since his defeat in November for an opportunity to return to the Diet, and might run in the House of Councilors election scheduled for July.
