Liberal Democrat rising star Takeshi Tokuda felled by sex scandal

Following his father's footsteps into politics, Takeshi Tokuda was seen as a rising star of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

But a sex scandal that erupted this week has seen a rapid fall from grace for Tokuda and has caused embarrassment for the government, which was returned to power less than two months ago with promises of righting the many wrongs of the previous administration.

Tokuda, the parliamentary secretary for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, resigned with no warning on Monday but declined to give a reason.

By the middle of the week, it had become apparent that Tokuda's abrupt decision to step down was because one of the nation's tabloids had enough evidence to run a story alleging he raped a minor in a hotel nine years ago.

The Shukan Shincho magazine has alleged in its latest edition that in February 2004, Tokuda encouraged a girl aged 19 - under Japanese law, a person only reaches adulthood at the age of 20 - to drink at a restaurant and bar in the Akasaka district of Tokyo until she was drunk and then "forcefully" had sex with her in a nearby hotel.

At the time, Tokuda was 31 and working as a political secretary to his father, Torao Tokuda, who had a seat in the Lower House of the Diet and headed the Tokushukai medical company.

The woman later filed a claim for damages with the Tokyo District Court demanding ¥20 million in compensation.