He resigned from the post of the Minister of Reconstruction and vice-chairman of the Buraku Liberation League after making harsh and abrasive criticism of the two governors from the area affected by the Great East Japan earthquake as well as threatening to ruin the career of any journalists who reported his remarks. He later apologised and then blamed his behaviour on his Fukuoka background and also on his B-blood type, a popular superstition in Japan.[2]
He criticized Matsumoto's intimidation that "Your company is over if you publicize my remarks" as the essence of the liberation alliance.
[3][4] He died of lung cancer on July 21, 2018, at the age of 67.[5]