An New Komeito executive urged Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa on Sunday to resign before the opposition party and its bigger ally, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, submit a censure motion against him in the Upper House on Friday.
Ichikawa and his top official in Okinawa are under fire for making separate comments that appeared to make him look incompetent and the Okinawa official insensitive to Okinawan residents opposed to hosting U.S. bases.
"It would be best if he resigns on his own instead of quitting after a censure motion is submitted," Yosuke Takagi, New Komeito's vice secretary general, said on a TV talk show.