Japan farm minister retracts budget-cut remarks, apologises, denies resignation
Version 2: The minister has now publicly retracted and apologised, denied resigning and said he will stay on, while the prime minister instructed him to fulfil his duties and opposition parties called for accountability; the transport ministry investigation remains open.
In short
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yana retracted and apologised on Oct 5 for remarks that he had “greatly cut” road budgets of municipalities whose mayors did not support him in the February lower house election. He denied lobbying the land ministry to reduce the budget and denied resigning, saying he would work to restore trust as minister. The remarks, made at a May LDP meeting and naming Nasukarasuyama City and Nakagawa Town in Tochigi Prefecture, have drawn opposition criticism and a transport ministry investigation, and the issue has become a flashpoint in the extraordinary Diet session.
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Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yana retracted and apologised on Oct 5 for remarks that he had greatly cut the road budgets of municipalities that did not support him in the previous lower house election. NHK News reported that he made the retraction and apology to reporters after the House of Councillors plenary session that day, acknowledging the remark as his own and saying he deeply reflected. Jiji Press and other outlets reported the same retraction and apology. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 17 , 18 , 21 ]
Yana said he had confirmed audio of remarks made at a May meeting of the LDP’s Otawara branch, according to Nippon TV News. “I retract and apologise for remarks that I had in the past greatly cut road budgets, and that heads of local governments had acted as though LDP lawmakers were not needed and that many citizens and townspeople had made such a judgment,” he told reporters, according to Nippon TV News and Livedoor News. He added, “There is no fact that I lobbied the relevant ministry to cut the budget,” a denial also reported by TBS NEWS DIG, Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun and Nikkei. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 13 , 17 ]
He described a remark suggesting he could influence budgets by his own will as “extremely inappropriate” and said that as a person in a public position he should have been more careful, calling it an act of imprudence for which he deeply reflected, according to Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, Nippon TV News and Yomiuri Shimbun. He denied resigning and said he would devote himself to his duties to restore trust, according to Asahi, Mainichi, Nippon TV and Livedoor News. Before speaking to reporters, he met Prime Minister Takaichi individually; Yomiuri Shimbun reported, citing officials, that she asked him to retract and apologise, while Sankei Shimbun, Jiji Press and Nikkei reported that she instructed him to work with full effort on agriculture, forestry and fisheries administration. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 17 , 21 ]
The remarks were first reported by a weekly magazine and concerned Nasukarasuyama City and Nakagawa Town in Tochigi Prefecture, according to Livedoor News, Nippon TV News, Yomiuri Shimbun and Nikkei. The mayors of both municipalities supported a rival candidate in the February lower house election, Yomiuri and Nikkei reported. Yana said the reason for the remark was that thoughts from having worked with full effort on disasters and other matters had come out, according to Yomiuri. The transport ministry is investigating the connection between the remarks and the road budget cut, according to Livedoor News and TBS NEWS DIG. On Oct 2, Yana held a press conference, admitted the remark but did not retract or apologise, and a party executive criticised his response, Nikkei reported. [ 4 , 9 , 13 , 17 , 18 , 22 ]
Opposition parties criticised Yana and demanded accountability. Democratic Reform Party leader Ogawa said he was “not worthy of the post” and urged resignation, while Japan Innovation Party co-leader Fujita called for a sincere apology, according to Nikkei. Komeito Secretary-General Nishida said changing the allocation of taxpayers’ money based on election support was “absolutely unacceptable” and called for a quick report on the transport ministry’s investigation. CDP and DPP leaders also criticised Yana and sought investigations, Nikkei reported. LDP Secretary-General Suzuki said Yana should fulfil his accountability to the end to gain public understanding, according to TBS NEWS DIG. The extraordinary Diet opened on Oct 5, and the issue has become a flashpoint, with questioning set to begin on Oct 7 and a lower house budget committee planned for the following week, according to TBS NEWS DIG, Yahoo! News Japan and Nikkei. [ 3 , 11 , 13 , 14 , 17 , 19 , 23 ]
Tokyo Shimbun reported on Oct 6 that doubts remained in the named local area of Tochigi’s 3rd district after the retraction, with a road widening project delayed in Nasukarasuyama as of Oct 5. Whether the budget was actually cut in retaliation, and what further consequences Yana will face, remain unresolved in the documents. [ 4 , 17 , 23 ]
Why it matters
The dispute touches on whether budget allocations were influenced by election support, an issue that opposition parties say goes beyond a gaffe and are using to question Prime Minister Takaichi’s appointment responsibility. The transport ministry is investigating, and the matter is set to be taken up in Diet questioning from Oct 7, keeping pressure on the minister and the government.
Key facts
- Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yana retracted and apologised on Oct 5 for remarks that he had greatly cut road budgets of municipalities that did not support him. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 17 , 18 , 21 ]
- He denied having lobbied the relevant ministry to cut the budget. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 17 ]
- He denied resigning and said he would continue as minister to restore trust. [ 4 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 17 , 21 ]
- He called the remark “extremely inappropriate” and said he deeply reflected on it. [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 16 ]
- Prime Minister Takaichi instructed him to work with full effort on agriculture, forestry and fisheries administration; Yana said he apologised to her. [ 6 , 11 , 13 , 17 ]
- The remarks were made at a May LDP meeting and named Nasukarasuyama City and Nakagawa Town in Tochigi Prefecture, whose mayors backed a rival in the February lower house election, according to reports. [ 4 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 17 , 23 ]
- The transport ministry is investigating the link between the remarks and the road budget cut, according to Livedoor News and TBS. [ 4 , 18 ]
- Opposition parties including the Democratic Reform Party, Komeito, CDP and DPP criticised Yana and demanded accountability or resignation. [ 11 , 17 , 23 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yana retracted and apologised on Oct 5 for remarks that he had greatly cut the road budgets of municipalities that did not support him in the lower house election. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 17 , 18 , 21 ]
- He denied having lobbied the relevant ministry to reduce the budget. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 17 ]
- He denied resigning and said he would work to restore trust as minister. [ 4 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 17 , 21 ]
- He described the remark as extremely inappropriate and said he deeply reflected on it. [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 16 ]
- Prime Minister Takaichi instructed him to work with full effort on agriculture, forestry and fisheries administration. [ 6 , 11 , 13 , 17 ]
- The remarks were made at a May LDP meeting and named Nasukarasuyama City and Nakagawa Town in Tochigi Prefecture, whose mayors supported a rival in the February lower house election, according to reports. [ 4 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 17 , 23 ]
- Opposition parties criticised Yana and some called for his resignation or accountability. [ 11 , 17 , 23 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the road budget was actually cut in retaliation for election support. The transport ministry investigation is reported but no findings are given; Livedoor News and TBS say the ministry is looking into the link.
- Whether Prime Minister Takaichi asked Yana to retract and apologise. Only Yomiuri Shimbun, citing officials, reports this, while other outlets say she instructed him to work with full effort.
- What further consequences Yana will face. He denies resigning, but opposition parties demand accountability and the LDP secretary-general says he must fulfil accountability to the end.
- Why Yana shifted from refusing specific comment and calling the remark misleading to retracting and apologising. TBS reports the question but the documents give no explanation.
- The transport ministry is investigating the link between the remarks and the road budget cut. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- In May, Yana says at a meeting of the LDP’s Otawara branch that he had greatly cut road budgets of Nasukarasuyama City and Nakagawa Town, according to Nippon TV News, Livedoor News and Yomiuri Shimbun. [ 4 , 9 , 13 ]
- On Oct 2, Yana holds a press conference, admits the remark but does not retract or apologise, according to Livedoor News and Nikkei. [ 4 , 17 ]
- Yana responds to reporters at the Diet, retracts and apologises, according to TBS NEWS DIG’s programme commentary. [ 20 ]
- Jiji Press reports that Yana retracted and apologised for the remark about cutting local road budgets. [ 1 ]
- NHK News reports Yana retracted the remark and apologised after the House of Councillors plenary session. [ 2 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG reports the retraction and apology and his denial of lobbying the ministry. [ 5 ]
- Jiji Press reports that Prime Minister Takaichi instructed Yana to fulfil his duties. [ 6 ]
- Asahi Shimbun reports Yana retracted and apologised and denied resigning. [ 7 ]
- Nippon TV News reports Yana confirmed audio of the May remarks, retracted and apologised, and showed willingness to stay on. [ 9 ]
- Sankei Shimbun reports Yana apologised to Prime Minister Takaichi and received an instruction to work with full effort. [ 11 ]
- Yomiuri Shimbun reports that, according to officials, Takaichi asked Yana to retract and apologise, and she instructed him to work with full effort. [ 13 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG reports the extraordinary Diet has convened and the issue is spreading. [ 14 ]
- Nikkei reports opposition criticism and that Diet questioning will begin on Oct 7, with a lower house budget committee next week. [ 17 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG reports LDP Secretary-General Suzuki saying Yana should fulfil accountability to the end. [ 19 ]
- On Oct 6, TBS NEWS DIG reports Yana reversed from saying he would refrain from comment and that the remark caused misunderstanding to retracting and apologising. [ 22 ]
- On Oct 6, Tokyo Shimbun reports doubts remain in the named local area in Tochigi’s 3rd district after the retraction. [ 23 ]