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TOKYO, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Former farm minister Takamori Yoshikawa resigned as a lawmaker in the lower house of parliament on Tuesday following allegations that he received five million yen (48,000 U.S. dollars) from a lobbyist.

The 70-year-old, citing health reasons, submitted his resignation to House of Representatives Speaker Tadamori Oshima who accepted it.

On Monday, Yoshikawa issued a statement offering to resign, saying he is being treated in hospital for a chronic heart disease that requires surgery henceforth.

Yoshikawa, who was serving his sixth term as a lower house member and joined the cabinet for the first time as farm minister in October 2018 and served until September of last year, is alleged to have received illicit funds from an egg farming company in western Japan.

The allegations against Yoshikawa are likely to impact the support rate of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government.

Suga's approval ratings have recently plunged over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Suga's government also has to contend with former prime minister Shinzo Abe being questioned on Monday by prosecutors over allegations of political funding violations involving his support group.

A by-election is scheduled for April 25 in Yoshikawa's constituency in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido. Enditem