Masatoshi Wakabayashi
Quick Facts
Biography
Masatoshi Wakabayashi (若林 正俊, Wakabayashi Masatoshi, born July 4, 1934) is a Japanese politician who is a member of Liberal Democratic Party.
Career
Wakabayashi became the third Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries appointed in Shinzō Abe's first cabinet after Toshikatsu Matsuoka killed himself as a result of financial scandal and Matsuoka's successor Norihiko Akagi resigned due to other financial scandals. He was appointed to the same position again in Abe's first reshuffled cabinet after Takehiko Endo's resignation.
After Abe's resignation, he worked under Yasuo Fukuda, who appointed Seiichi Ota his successor.
Resignation
In March 2010resigned from the Diet after being accused of pressing the voting button for fellow lawmaker Mikio Aoki, whose Diet seat was next to him, while Aoki was absent from a house plenary vote.