Japan farm minister tours Noto disaster area, dodges “budget cut” questions
Version 2: New coverage added the scope of the tour — Wajima, Suzu and Anamizu — and the minister's indication that a prefecture-run erosion-control project in Wajima would become a national direct project, along with fisheries and farmland damage raised by locals; his refusal to answer questions about the earlier road-budget remark was unchanged.
In short
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yan visited Ishikawa Prefecture on 4 October to inspect areas hit by the Noto Peninsula earthquake and heavy rain, touring Wajima, Suzu and Anamizu. He indicated that erosion-control works the Ishikawa Prefectural Government is carrying out in Wajima would be made a national direct project, according to Nippon TV News. He did not answer reporters' questions about his remark that national road funding for municipalities in his home prefecture of Tochigi had been “drastically cut,” saying he would respond on a “field-first” basis and to the opinions he received.
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Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yan visited Ishikawa Prefecture on 4 October to inspect areas hit by the Noto Peninsula earthquake and by heavy rain, and declined to answer reporters' questions about his remark that national road funding for local municipalities in his home prefecture of Tochigi had been “drastically cut.” TBS NEWS DIG, NHK News and Nippon TV News all reported the visit; NHK News said the questions came repeatedly and that the minister avoided referring to the remark. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
According to Nippon TV News, Yan toured Wajima, Suzu and Anamizu and indicated that erosion-control works the Ishikawa Prefectural Government is carrying out in Wajima would be made a national direct project. At Wajima port, people in the fisheries industry told him that sediment from collapsed mountain slopes flows through the Fukami River into the sea and is affecting mozuku seaweed farming, the outlet reported. [ 5 ]
Nippon TV News also reported that slopes in the Fukami district's privately owned forest collapsed over a wide area and that the prefecture is spending about 400 million yen on sabo dam construction and other works. The minister said farmland flooded in August's record rains would also be restored, saying the prefecture would be consulted and coordination continued because rice had been submerged before harvesting. [ 5 ]
At Shiroyone Senmaida in Wajima, TBS NEWS DIG reported that fewer than half of the 1,004 terraced rice fields have been able to resume planting, and that residents told the minister both people and money are lacking in what the outlet described as a double disaster of earthquake and heavy rain. [ 2 ]
On the budget remark itself, the outlets differ in emphasis. TBS NEWS DIG reported that when asked whether budget would be allocated even to local leaders who do not support the Liberal Democratic Party, Yan said he had received everyone's opinions on the day and would respond firmly, and that he avoided answering at a press conference after the inspection. NHK News reported that he declined to address the remark and said he would handle matters on a “field-first” basis. Nippon TV News reported that he said he would respond firmly on Noto recovery funding. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
TBS NEWS DIG and Nippon TV News both reported that Yan took the agriculture, forestry and fisheries portfolio in the second Takaichi cabinet reshuffle. [ 2 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The minister responsible for agriculture and fisheries recovery is touring a region still coping with a double disaster, where residents say staffing and funding are insufficient and where fisheries and farmland have been damaged. The visit produced a concrete signal — a prefecture-run erosion-control project potentially becoming a national one — but left unanswered how national funds are distributed to local areas, keeping the controversy over his earlier remark alive.
Key facts
- Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yan visited Ishikawa Prefecture on 4 October to inspect areas hit by the Noto Peninsula earthquake and heavy rain. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- He toured Wajima, Suzu and Anamizu, according to Nippon TV News. [ 5 ]
- At Shiroyone Senmaida in Wajima, fewer than half of the 1,004 terraced rice fields have been able to resume planting, TBS NEWS DIG reported. [ 2 ]
- Residents told the minister that both people and money are lacking, TBS NEWS DIG reported. [ 2 ]
- Reporters repeatedly asked about his remark that national road funding for local municipalities in Tochigi Prefecture had been “drastically cut,” and he did not answer directly. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- According to TBS NEWS DIG, Yan said he had received everyone's opinions on the day and would respond firmly. [ 1 , 4 ]
- NHK News reported that he avoided referring to the remark and said he would handle matters on a “field-first” basis. [ 3 ]
- Nippon TV News reported that he indicated Ishikawa Prefecture's erosion-control works in Wajima would be made a national direct project, and that he said he would respond firmly on Noto recovery funding. [ 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Minister Yan visited Ishikawa Prefecture on 4 October to inspect areas hit by the Noto Peninsula earthquake and heavy rain. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- His remark that national road funding for local municipalities in his home prefecture of Tochigi had been drastically cut drew questions from reporters during the visit. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- He did not answer the questions about the remark directly. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- He was newly appointed agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister in the second Takaichi cabinet reshuffle. [ 2 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- What exactly the minister said about cutting national road funding for Tochigi municipalities, and whether he has explained or retracted it. The documents record only that the remark exists and that he avoided related questions during the visit; the content and status of the remark itself are not reported.
- Whether the government will allocate budget to municipalities whose leaders do not support the Liberal Democratic Party. The question was put by TBS NEWS DIG and the minister's answer did not address the condition directly; the point rests on a single source.
- Whether the plan to make the Wajima erosion-control works a national direct project is final. Nippon TV News says he indicated the policy; no other outlet confirms it and no formal decision is reported.
- The exact state of recovery in the Oku-Noto region beyond the rice terraces. Only one outlet, TBS NEWS DIG, gives details of conditions on the ground, so the picture is single-sourced and partial.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TBS NEWS DIG reports that Minister Yan inspected the Noto Peninsula earthquake and heavy rain disaster area and avoided answering questions about his “budget cut” remark. [ 1 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG reports that Yan toured Oku-Noto and Shiroyone Senmaida in Wajima, where fewer than half of 1,004 terraces have resumed planting and residents said people and money are lacking. [ 2 ]
- NHK News reports that Yan visited Ishikawa Prefecture and declined to address the budget remark, saying he would act on a “field-first” basis. [ 3 ]
- The following day, TBS NEWS DIG reports that Yan avoided answering questions about his road-budget remark at a press conference after the inspection. [ 4 ]
- Nippon TV News reports that Yan visited Wajima, Suzu and Anamizu and indicated that Ishikawa Prefecture's erosion-control works in Wajima would be made a national direct project. [ 5 ]