However, Miyazawa had to resign amid the Recruit scandal in 1988.
Indeed, debate began Friday on the tax plan after being stalled for weeks by opposition pressure to investigate the Recruit scandal.
But now the Recruit scandal has so weakened the party that for the first time in three decades it risks losing control of Parliament.
Tokyo's relentless public prosecutor is scenting blood in the Recruit scandal.
That meant that few leaders were untainted by the Recruit scandal.
That event, known as the Recruit scandal, led to promises of political reform that have never been fulfilled.
International Japan's Recruit scandal is exposing a seamy side to business there.
The polls showed that the tax was a bigger irritant for most voters than the Recruit scandal.
He was implicated in the Recruit scandal in the late 1980s, tarnishing his reputation for several years.
But at the core of last year's Recruit scandal was an effort to use manipulative stock dealings to provide questionable payments.