Takaichi keeps agriculture minister Yana in post despite road budget remark
In short
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on 8 October in the House of Councillors that she will keep agriculture minister Kazuo Yana (簗和生), who had said he cut road budgets for municipalities whose heads did not back him in the February lower house election. Takaichi said she considered the remark inappropriate and strongly cautioned him, but wants him to explain himself and fulfil his duties.
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Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on 8 October that she will keep agriculture minister Kazuo Yana (簗和生) in his post despite his remark about cutting municipal road budgets. Speaking during representative questions on her policy speech at a House of Councillors plenary session, Takaichi said: "I myself considered it inappropriate, so I strongly cautioned him." Yahoo! News Japan, Mainichi Shimbun and Nishi-Nippon Shimbun all reported that she would not dismiss him. [ 5 , 6 , 9 ]
According to Mainichi, Yana had said he reduced road budgets for municipalities whose heads did not support him in the February lower house election. Takaichi said she wanted Yana to explain himself thoroughly and fulfil his duties, both newspapers reported; Mainichi quoted her as also saying he should "straighten himself up". Mainichi reported that Takaichi said she understood Yana had acknowledged the remark, withdrawn it and apologised. [ 6 , 9 ]
Takaichi was answering Masayo Tanabu (田名部匡代) of the Constitutional Democratic Party, whom Nishi-Nippon Shimbun identified as the party's secretary-general. Mainichi reported that Tanabu asked whether Takaichi considered the remark unproblematic and whether keeping Yana was appropriate, and raised the prime minister's responsibility for appointing him. Nishi-Nippon Shimbun quoted Tanabu as saying that "the attitude of trying to use the budget for political retaliation is utterly unacceptable". [ 6 , 9 ]
Yana also addressed the upper house plenary session, according to Nishi-Nippon Shimbun. He said he had "made a statement that differed from the facts" and that it was "inappropriate and due to my own lack of virtue". He said he would discipline himself and do his utmost to carry out his duties, again denying that he would resign, the newspaper reported. [ 9 ]
The documents differ on what happened to the budgets themselves: Mainichi describes Yana as having said he reduced them, while Yana told the chamber his remark did not match the facts. None of the reports says whether any municipality's road budget was actually changed. [ 6 , 9 ]
Why it matters
The decision keeps a minister in the cabinet while the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party presses the prime minister over her responsibility for appointing him. The dispute concerns whether public budgets were used against local leaders over election support, which the opposition called political retaliation.
Key facts
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi indicated on 8 October that she will not dismiss agriculture minister Kazuo Yana. [ 5 , 6 , 9 ]
- Takaichi said she considered Yana's remark about cutting road budgets inappropriate and strongly cautioned him. [ 5 , 6 , 9 ]
- Yana had said he reduced road budgets for municipalities whose heads did not support him in the February lower house election. [ 6 ]
- Takaichi said she wants Yana to explain himself thoroughly and fulfil his duties. [ 6 , 9 ]
- Takaichi said she understood that Yana had acknowledged the remark, withdrawn it and apologised. [ 6 ]
- The exchange came in representative questions on Takaichi's policy speech at a House of Councillors plenary session, in reply to Masayo Tanabu (田名部匡代) of the Constitutional Democratic Party. [ 5 , 6 , 9 ]
- Yana told the upper house his remark had differed from the facts and was inappropriate, and again denied he would resign. [ 9 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Takaichi will keep Yana as agriculture minister. [ 5 , 6 , 9 ]
- Takaichi said she considered Yana's remark inappropriate and strongly cautioned him. [ 5 , 6 , 9 ]
- Takaichi said Yana should explain himself thoroughly and fulfil his duties. [ 6 , 9 ]
- Masayo Tanabu of the Constitutional Democratic Party questioned Takaichi and raised her responsibility for appointing Yana. [ 6 , 9 ]
Still unclear
- Whether any municipality's road budget was actually reduced. Mainichi reports Yana said he reduced the budgets, while Nishi-Nippon Shimbun quotes Yana telling the upper house that his remark differed from the facts; no document says whether budgets were changed.
- Yana's own statement in the upper house that he would not resign. Reported only by Nishi-Nippon Shimbun.
- Takaichi's statement that Yana had withdrawn the remark and apologised. Reported only by Mainichi.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yahoo! News Japan reports Takaichi will not dismiss Yana, after upper house representative questions began that morning. [ 5 ]
- Mainichi Shimbun reports Takaichi intends to keep Yana, in reply to Masayo Tanabu of the Constitutional Democratic Party. [ 6 ]
- Nishi-Nippon Shimbun reports Takaichi's decision and Yana's statement to the upper house denying he would resign. [ 9 ]