Seiichi Ota (太田 誠一, Ōta Seiichi, born October 31, 1945 in *uoka, *uoka) is a *anese politician. As of 2008 he is a member of the House of Representatives (lower house) currently serving in his eighth term representing *uoka's Third District. He is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the Koga faction. Kiyoko *uda, who married Prime Minister of *an Yasuo *uda, is his cousin.

Career

Before entering politics, Ota was an economics professor. He then served as chief of the Management and Coordination Agency.

Ota entered politics in 1980 with the help of his father-in-law, the governor of *uoka. He has since been involved mainly in economic policy. Under Noboru Take*a in the late 1980s, he advocated the introduction of the consumption tax. Ota also participated in changes in the Commercial Law in the late 1990s and realignment of government ministries and agencies in 2001. Ota left the LDP in 1994 to form a small party, but returned to the LDP the following year.

Igniting more controversy after the Super Free rape scandal was revealed, on 26 June 2003 Ota said "At least gang rapists are still vigorous. Isn't that at least a little closer to normal?" This shocked *an and Mizuho *ushima criticized him.

During the debate of terrorism in January 2008, he claimed that *ushima was an "ultra-leftist".

On August 1, 2008, Yasuo *uda named Ota as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in the cabinet list. However, he resigned the post on September 19, 2008 following a scandal over tainted rice (汚染米 or 事故米穀,, Osenmai or Jikobeikoku). He stated: "I met with Prime Minister *uda and told him my decision to resign, considering the seriousness of the tainted rice problem for the society." Yasuo *uda accepted the resignation. Ota was informed of the problem in January 2007 but said he saw no need to make "too much of a fuss over it". The rice, tainted with pesticide methamidophos and mould, was for industrial uses only, but was resold, used and served to make lunches for thousands of schoolchildren and nursing home patients.

References

External links

• Fury over *an rape gaffe BBC News
• (in *anese) Ōta Seiichi Official Web Site