TOKYO (TR) – The resignation earlier this week of parliamentary secretary Takeshi Tokuda was due to a tabloid report of a rape incident that took place nine years ago, reports Nikkan Sports (Feb. 6).
In an issue hitting newsstands on Wednesday, Shukan Shincho (Feb. 14) details a rape case involving a 19-year-old woman and the former parliamentary secretary.
In February 2004, Tokuda and the victim, whom he met through an acquaintance, were out drinking in Tokyo’s Akasaka entertainment area. After moving to a hotel room, Tokuda sexually assaulted the highly intoxicated woman two times.
In 2007, Tokuda paid 10 million yen as compensation to the victim. An initial figure of five million yen was proposed. The woman filed a claim with the Tokyo District Court demanding 20 million before the final settlement amount was reached.
Before his resignation on Monday, the 41-year-old Liberal Democratic Party member was parliamentary secretary for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Tokuda also served as parliamentary secretary for the reconstruction the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011.
The former parliamentary secretary did not explain his reasoning for his resignation. Tokuda, who is in his third term as member of the House of Representatives, wrote on his government blog site: “I cannot reveal the details of the problem because of my relationship with the other person.”
Since Shinzo Abe became prime minister in December, this is the first the first senior member of the government to resign.
Tokuda, a native of Kagoshima Prefecture, became a Diet member for the first time in 2005.