With all his policy proposals effectively snubbed by Prime Minister Taro Aso, Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Yoshimi Watanabe's exit from the ruling party became almost certain Friday.
Watanabe said that in the morning he tried to hand an open letter to Aso that questioned him about civil servant reform. But Aso's secretary refused to accept it and instead told Watanabe to raise the question in the Diet.
Asked what he plans to do next, the former administrative reform minister said the matter of his exit "has come to a crucial point."