At a plenary session on Wednesday, Japan's parliament dismissed Yoshikazu Higashitani for his continued absence, the first time it has taken such a step in more than seven decades.
On Wednesday, Japan's parliament dismissed Yoshikazu Higashitani. Photo: CNN
Yoshikazu, better known by his online moniker GaaSyy, runs a YouTube channel about celebrity gossip. He was elected to the Upper House of the Japanese Parliament in July 2022.
But he did not respond to an invitation from the Senate President, was absent from the plenary session on March 8 and has not attended any parliamentary session since his election.
Japan's Diet Law stipulates that members of parliament must attend the Diet on the day they are called. According to local media, GaaSyy was overseas at the time of the plenary session on March 8.
In a video , GaaSyy said he would travel to Turkey to help areas affected by the recent devastating earthquake, Asahi TV reported on March 6. GaaSyy had previously been asked to apologize for his absence, but he did not.
On Tuesday, the Disciplinary Committee of the Upper House of Japan unanimously decided to expel him as a member of parliament, the most severe punishment possible. His dismissal is the first in 72 years and the third under Japan's current constitution.
Japanese media reported that GaaSyy refused to attend parliament for fear of arrest if he returned to his country. He is being sued for defamation by several celebrities over the content of some of his YouTube videos.
Mai Anh (according to CNN)
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