Why did Tanaka Kakuei resign as prime minister in 1974?

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Tanaka Kakuei resigned as prime minister of Japan in December 1974 due to a combination of economic and political pressures. During his tenure, Japan experienced a significant economic slowdown accompanied by rising inflation. These domestic challenges were compounded by a poor performance by his party, the Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP), in the July 1974 elections.1

Furthermore, Tanaka faced mounting allegations that he had profited illegally through his office. While these accusations contributed to his resignation, he was later arrested and indicted in 1976 for accepting approximately $2,000,000 in bribes from the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation to influence All Nippon Airways to purchase the company's jet airliners. Following a lengthy trial, he was convicted of bribery in 1983.1