Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of Japan’s Democratic Party for the People (DPP), admitted on Monday to an extramarital affair reported by the tabloid SmartFlash, potentially complicating his role as a critical power broker in Japan’s evolving political landscape. The affair, involving a 39-year-old model and entertainer, was documented by the tabloid with photos of Tamaki, 55, meeting the woman in both July and October. At an impromptu news conference, Tamaki acknowledged the report, stating, “The facts reported this morning are basically true,” and apologized publicly for the situation.
Despite the scandal, Tamaki has retained full support from his party members to remain as leader, according to DPP Secretary General Kazuya Shimba. In response to the affair, Tamaki shared a personal message from his wife, who had emphasized the importance of loyalty: “You can’t protect the country if you can’t protect the person closest to you.” He expressed regret and commitment to move forward, promising to “reflect on my action and do my best to work in a way that is in the best interests of the country.”
This revelation comes at a pivotal time in Japanese politics as lawmakers prepared for a special parliamentary session on Monday to decide if Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba should continue in his role. Ishiba’s ruling coalition lost its lower house majority in last month’s election, diminishing his mandate but leaving his party with the largest seat bloc. While Tamaki’s DPP had initially signaled they would not support Ishiba in Monday’s vote, the party is open to collaborating with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on specific policy initiatives.
As Ishiba contends with a fragile minority government, Tamaki’s DPP emerges as a potential ally for pushing key legislation, even amid the turbulence caused by his personal controversy.