Former Administrative Reform Minister Yoshimi Watanabe said Jan. 5 that he will leave the ruling Liberal Democratic Party if his policy proposals are not seriously considered, including calling an early general election and canceling a cash payout program.

His departure from the party appeared unavoidable by the evening, when Prime Minister Taro Aso, who is also LDP president, rejected Watanabe's proposals.

The vocal Watanabe submitted a statement with seven proposals to Nobuteru Ishihara, who is acting secretary general of the LDP.

His proposals included canceling the ¥2 trillion cash handout policy from the second extra budget bill and revising the civil servant salary law to cut salaries by 20 percent in the next fiscal year.