A female lawmaker in the spotlight over allegations that she physically and verbally abused a secretary in May, expressed her desire Monday to run in a possible upcoming general election.
Although Mayuko Toyota, who quit the ruling Liberal Democratic Party after the scandal broke, apologized to supporters in her electoral constituency in Saitama Prefecture, she said, "I will work hard so that I will be allowed to run" in the House of Representatives election, which could possibly be held in late October.
"I'm really sorry for causing all these problems," the 42-year-old Lower House member said. While she declined to give details about the allegations, saying they are still under investigation, Toyota said she did not cause her secretary serious injury.