Shigeru Ishiba and four other people left the meeting before the vote on the consumption tax reduction bill. Taro Aso commented: The party must unite after making a decision

Taro Aso, Vice President of the Liberal Democratic Party. (Reuters file photo)

Before Japan's House of Representatives voted on a bill related to the food consumption tax reduction, four people including former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of the Liberal Democratic Party left the meeting, triggering discussions within the party. Taro Aso, the vice president of the Liberal Democratic Party, publicly criticized it on the 12th, emphasizing that "once the party makes a decision, it must unite to face it. This is the tradition of the Liberal Democratic Party" and called on the entire party to tighten their nerves to face congressional deliberations.

Before the vote in the House of Representatives last week, four people including former Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, former Election Countermeasures Committee Chairman Obuchi Yuko, former Economic Planning Agency Director Funada Moto, and former Justice Minister Furukawa Masahisa, left the meeting and were later given disciplinary sanctions by Secretary-General Suzuki Shunichi.

In response, Taro Aso said at the meeting on the 12th, "It is regrettable that some members of the Liberal Democratic Party left the meeting. There should be an opportunity to speak in the prior intra-party discussion. After fierce debate, once the party makes a decision, it must face it unitedly. This is the tradition of the Liberal Democratic Party." He publicly expressed dissatisfaction.

In response to Shigeru Ishiba's statement that "you cannot do this kind of work if you are afraid of punishment," Aso also retorted, "The punishment is not to create fear, but is related to the governance of the Liberal Democratic Party as a party." He also called on the party to tighten up its nerves and face the next parliamentary review.