LDP heavyweight Sasagawa to retire from politics

Takashi Sasagawa, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's General Council, expressed his intention Sunday to retire from politics after failing to be re-elected in the Aug. 30 election.

Takashi Sasagawa

"I don't think I will make another bid for election," Sasagawa, 73, who ran in the Gunma No. 2 district for an eighth term in the Lower House, said on a TV talk show.

He has already told Prime Minister Taro Aso he plans to resign as head of the party's decision-making council.

"I haven't talked about it with my support group. But since I'm (soon) to be 74, I feel the party should nurture young people," Sasagawa said.

A significant number of LDP heavyweights were thrown out of their Diet seats when the party was thrashed by the Democratic Party of Japan in the Lower House election at the end of last month.