Three lawmakers said Friday they were exiting the Democratic Party of Japan, bringing the total to nine who have left or declared their intention to jump ship since Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announced Wednesday he was dissolving the Lower House.
The three are Eriko Fukuda, from the Nagasaki No. 2 district, Ben Hashimoto, elected in the Tokai proportional representation block, and Akihiro Hatsushika, from the Tokyo No. 16 district.
They had been suspended by the party for two months after voting against Noda's consumption tax hike in June.