Translating into Español. The English version is shown until it is ready.
Japan farm minister denies lobbying for subsidies to municipalities that backed him
En breve
Agriculture Minister Kazuo Yanagi said on Oct 6 that he did not lobby for higher subsidies to municipalities whose leaders supported him, after reports that such grants were increased. He also explained an earlier remark that road budgets were sharply cut in municipalities whose leaders did not back him, saying he had exaggerated while excited at an LDP meeting. Yanagi retracted and apologised for that remark a day earlier, according to Sankei Shimbun.
Leer la noticia completa 2 min de lectura
Japan's agriculture minister, Kazuo Yanagi, said on Oct 6 that he had not lobbied for increased subsidies to municipalities whose leaders supported him, responding to reports that such grants had been raised. “I have not lobbied for anything myself. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is judging matters appropriately,” Yanagi told a post-cabinet press conference, according to Nishi-Nippon Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Asked about his approach to budget drafting, Yanagi said he would respond appropriately to actual conditions on the ground rather than to election results, Nishi-Nippon Shimbun reported. [ 2 ]
The minister also addressed an earlier remark about cutting budgets. According to Sankei Shimbun, Yanagi said at an LDP branch meeting in Otawara, Tochigi, in May that the current fiscal year's road budgets for Nasukarasuyama and Nakagawa had been sharply cut. On Oct 6 he said he had exaggerated, telling reporters that at a meeting of party members there was a sense of excitement and he used somewhat overstated language, both outlets reported. Sankei Shimbun said Yanagi had retracted and apologised for the remark the previous day. [ 2 , 3 ]
Sankei Shimbun reported that Yanagi had declined to answer questions on the matter at a press conference on Oct 2, saying it concerned his activity as one lawmaker before he became minister, and repeating that position about 20 times. He said on Oct 6 that he changed course because he recognised that answering also related to the promotion of agriculture, forestry and fisheries administration. [ 3 ]
The newspaper set out the electoral background: in the February lower house election in the Tochigi No. 3 district, LDP-endorsed Yanagi ran against independent newcomer Shintaro Watanabe, who held LDP membership, in what it described as a conservative split. Watanabe won the single-seat district and Yanagi returned through proportional representation. Within the district, the leaders of Nasushiobara, Yaita and Nasu supported Yanagi, while the leaders of Otawara, Nasukarasuyama and Nakagawa backed Watanabe. [ 3 ]
Tokyo Shimbun carried the story under a headline noting Yanagi's statement that there was no lobbying from him, in connection with reports of increased subsidies to municipalities that supported him. The documents do not identify the media that reported the subsidy increases, and no official finding on whether the subsidies were raised has been given. [ 1 ]
Por qué importa
The remarks put a sitting cabinet minister's handling of constituency-related funding under scrutiny at a time when he also oversees agriculture and fisheries policy, and the reports concern subsidies decided by a ministry other than his own. Yanagi's move from declining to answer to explaining the reports indicates the issue is being treated as a matter that could affect his ministerial work, as he himself said. The documents name no investigation, no opposition response and no action by the prime minister's office.
Datos clave
- Yanagi said at a post-cabinet press conference on Oct 6 that he had not lobbied for increased subsidies to municipalities whose leaders supported him, saying the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism makes the decisions appropriately. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Reports in some media said subsidies had been increased for municipalities with leaders who supported Yanagi, and that this was raised at his press conference. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Asked about his stance on budget drafting, Yanagi said he responds appropriately to conditions on the ground, not to election results. [ 2 ]
- Yanagi said an earlier remark that road budgets of municipalities whose leaders did not support him were sharply cut was exaggerated because of the excitement of speaking in front of party members. [ 2 , 3 ]
- According to Sankei Shimbun, Yanagi retracted and apologised for that remark the previous day, Oct 5. [ 3 ]
- At the LDP branch meeting in Otawara, Tochigi, in May, Yanagi said the fiscal-year road budgets of Nasukarasuyama and Nakagawa had been sharply cut, Sankei Shimbun reported. [ 3 ]
- In the February lower house election in Tochigi No. 3 district, LDP-endorsed Yanagi ran against independent newcomer Shintaro Watanabe, who held LDP membership; Watanabe won the district and Yanagi returned via proportional representation, according to Sankei Shimbun. [ 3 ]
- Municipal leaders in Nasushiobara, Yaita and Nasu supported Yanagi, while leaders in Otawara, Nasukarasuyama and Nakagawa supported Watanabe, Sankei Shimbun reported. [ 3 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
- Yanagi said he did not lobby for the subsidies and that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism judges appropriately. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Yanagi described his earlier budget-cut remark as exaggerated because of the atmosphere at an LDP meeting. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Reports of increased subsidies for municipalities whose leaders supported Yanagi were put to him at his Oct 6 press conference. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Aún sin aclarar
- Whether the subsidies were in fact increased for municipalities whose leaders supported Yanagi, and who decided this. The documents refer only to reports by unidentified media (一部報道) and no official finding is given.
- Whether the reported subsidy increases and the earlier budget-cut remark are under any review or investigation. No document mentions an investigation, audit or disciplinary process.
- Why Yanagi declined to answer the question some 20 times on Oct 2 before answering on Oct 6. Only Sankei Shimbun reports the earlier refusal and gives his stated reason for changing course, so it is a single-source account.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- Oct 2: At a post-cabinet press conference Yanagi declined to answer about the matter, saying it concerned his activity as a lawmaker before becoming minister, according to Sankei Shimbun. [ 3 ]
- Oct 5: Yanagi retracted and apologised for the remark about cutting budgets, according to Sankei Shimbun. [ 3 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun publishes a report titled with Yanagi's statement that there was no lobbying from him, in connection with reports of increased subsidies. [ 1 ]
- Nishi-Nippon Shimbun reports Yanagi's denial and his explanation of the earlier remark. [ 2 ]
- Sankei Shimbun publishes its account of the press conference, including the Oct 2 refusal and electoral background. [ 3 ]