Japan's transport ministry explains road budget cuts at centre of farm minister's remarks
In short
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on October 9 explained why road budget allocations fell for Nasukarasuyama city and Nakagawa town in Tochigi prefecture. Agriculture minister Yana (簗) had said he "drastically cut" the road budgets of the two municipalities, which did not support him in the February lower house election. The ministry cited the progress or absence of projects that receive priority funding and said inquiries from Yana had no effect on allocations.
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Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on the afternoon of October 9 gave a briefing on how road budgets are allocated and why the allocations for Nasukarasuyama city and Nakagawa town in Tochigi prefecture fell, Nippon TV News and TBS NEWS DIG reported. The two municipalities are at the centre of a row over remarks by agriculture minister Yana (簗), who said he had "drastically cut" their road budgets. According to TBS NEWS DIG, the two did not support Yana in the February lower house election. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
According to Nippon TV News, the ministry cited the progress or existence of projects to which the state gives priority funding as one of the reasons. One priority project in Nasukarasuyama is scheduled to end next fiscal year, and Nakagawa had no projects among its own that qualified for priority allocation, the ministry said. TBS NEWS DIG's headline said the ministry had comprehensively considered factors including whether there were priority allocation targets. [ 2 , 3 ]
Yana had made inquiries to the director-general of the minister's secretariat and others about the two municipalities' allocations. The ministry said those inquiries were not passed on to the department in charge and had no effect at all on budget allocation, Nippon TV News reported. [ 2 ]
Earlier, on October 6, the ministry published a survey saying that Yana had asked about budget allocation but that it had not received lobbying or pressure, TBS NEWS DIG reported. That survey said allocations are decided by comprehensively adjusting for factors such as project progress, but did not give specific reasons for the decline in the two municipalities' budgets. [ 1 ]
At a press conference on October 9, transport minister Tatsunori Ibayashi (井林辰憲) repeated that there had been no lobbying or pressure. "I have received a report that it has again been judged that road budgets were not cut in the way reported," he said. He avoided citing specific reasons for the cuts and said the ministry would hold a session that day to explain the grant system and how allocations are decided. [ 1 ]
In a headline on October 10, Tokyo Shimbun said the ministry's explanation, that amounts rise or fall depending on whether there are priority plans, does not add up. [ 4 ]
Why it matters
The remarks raised the question of whether a minister influenced road budget allocations to municipalities that did not back him, and the transport ministry has twice said he did not. Tokyo Shimbun reported that the ministry's explanation does not add up, so the dispute over the reasons for the cuts remains open.
Key facts
- Agriculture minister Yana said he had "drastically cut" the road budgets of Nasukarasuyama city and Nakagawa town, which did not support him in the February lower house election. [ 1 , 3 ]
- On October 6 the transport ministry published a survey saying Yana had made inquiries about budget allocation but that it had not received lobbying or pressure. [ 1 ]
- Transport minister Tatsunori Ibayashi (井林辰憲) said at a press conference on October 9 that there had been no lobbying or pressure. [ 1 ]
- On the afternoon of October 9 the ministry cited the progress or existence of projects receiving priority allocation as one reason the two municipalities' allocations fell. [ 2 , 3 ]
- According to the ministry, one priority project in Nasukarasuyama is due to end next fiscal year, and Nakagawa had no projects eligible for priority allocation. [ 2 ]
- The ministry said Yana's inquiries were not passed to the department in charge and had no effect on budget allocation. [ 2 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun reported that the ministry's explanation does not add up. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Agriculture minister Yana said he had "drastically cut" the road budgets of Nasukarasuyama city and Nakagawa town. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The transport ministry held a briefing on October 9 explaining why the two municipalities' road budgets fell. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The ministry linked the decline to the existence of projects receiving priority allocation. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the ministry's explanation of the cuts matches the actual allocations. Tokyo Shimbun reported that the explanation does not add up, but only its headline is available.
- Why the ministry did not give specific reasons for the two municipalities' declines in its October 6 survey. TBS NEWS DIG reported that the survey and Ibayashi gave no specific basis before the October 9 briefing.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- October 9: TBS NEWS DIG reports Ibayashi's press conference denying lobbying or pressure and announcing a briefing. [ 1 ]
- October 9: Nippon TV News reports the ministry's afternoon explanation of why the two municipalities' allocations fell. [ 2 ]
- October 9: TBS NEWS DIG reports the ministry's briefing on grant allocation. [ 3 ]
- October 10: Tokyo Shimbun reports that the ministry's explanation does not add up. [ 4 ]