Lawmaker from Japan found hanged

August 1, 2005

Yoji Nagaoka, a House of Representatives lawmaker from Japan, was found hanged at his home in Tokyo, in a suspected suicide attempt. He later died in a hospital on August 1 (JST, UTC+9). Japan's National Police Agency said the 54 year-old lawmaker left no suicide note and there were no wounds on the victim.

Nagaoka was born in Furukawa, Ibaraki in 1950. After he worked in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, he changed his career to politics. In 2003, he was elected to the House of Representatives for Ibaraki 7th constituency for the House of Representatives.

Centering on the postal services commercialization bill, Nagaoka opposed it in the LDP Executive Council, he voted however approval at the House of Representatives on July 5th. Japanese media reported his changing of opinion has been criticized as "betrayal" by some political leaders.