Former Lower House Speaker Hiroyuki Hosoda died Friday at the age of 79, less than a month after resigning his position due to poor health.
The veteran heavyweight of the Liberal Democratic Party, who was under fire at the time of his resignation as speaker in October due to sexual harassment allegations and his reputed ties to the Unification Church, served in a number of key posts during his 11-term parliamentary career, which began in 1990.
These include a stint as chief Cabinet secretary between May 2004 and October 2005 under Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and as the LDP's secretary-general under Prime Minister Taro Aso between September 2008 and September 2009.