Seiichi Tagawa, a former home affairs minister and head of the now-defunct New Liberal Club, died Friday of old age at a nursing home in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, his family said. He was 91.

In 1976, Tagawa, along with other lawmakers including Yohei Kono, left the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and formed the New Liberal Club.

The New Liberal Club formed a coalition government with the LDP in December 1983, with Tagawa serving as home affairs minister in the government of then Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone.

Tagawa was elected 11 times to the House of Representatives after entering the chamber in 1960.

After the New Liberal Club was disbanded in 1986, Tagawa formed and led the now-defunct Progressive Party the following year and later devoted himself to fighting corruption.

He retired from politics in 1993.

Kono, Tagawa's cousin, served as Lower House speaker until the chamber was dissolved last month.