Former posts minister Eita Yashiro declared Monday he will run as an independent in the Tokyo No. 12 district in the Sept. 11 general election and tendered his resignation from the Liberal Democratic Party, alleging he was betrayed by LDP executives.
Yashiro's move rattled the LDP-New Komeito ruling coalition because the two parties are jointly backing a key New Komeito candidate in the single-seat district, which covers Kita Ward and western Adachi Ward.
Yashiro, 68, indicated Aug. 18 he wouldn't run in the district so the ruling bloc could get behind Akihiro Ota, New Komeito's deputy secretary general.