Japan's Diet Bans New Member From Staying Overseas During Session
Japan's Upper House has dismissed a plan by a newly-elected opposition lawmaker to stay overseas during the extraordinary session that will open on Wednesday.
GaaSyy, whose real name is Higashitani Yoshikazu, of the NHK Party, submitted a notice saying he will be absent from the session as he is currently in the United Arab Emirates.
He is known as a YouTuber and won a seat for the first time in the Upper House in the election on July 10.
Executives of the Upper House steering committee met on Tuesday to discuss GaaSyy's notice. Both the ruling and opposition members said the document he submitted does not sufficiently explain his plan, with no date of his scheduled return specified.
They unanimously agreed that he should return to Japan as soon as possible and attend the session. The committee plans to convey its decision through GaaSyy's party.
Upper House officials say that if he declines the request, his non-attendance will be treated as an unexcused absence.
On why he is staying overseas, NHK Party Leader Tachibana Takashi quotes GaaSyy as saying that police in Japan are moving to arrest him on false charges of fraud.
Tachibana told reporters on Friday he is "100 percent sure" that GaaSyy will not attend the extraordinary session, and indicated he will soon meet the lawmaker to confirm his intention.