Prime Minister Takaichi Appoints New Agriculture Minister
In Japan, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi accepted the resignation of Agriculture Minister Kazuo Yana, who was at the center of several scandals, and appointed lower house lawmaker Arata Takebe as his successor. Takebe represents a district in Hokkaido, according to The Japan Times.
Yana's Resignation and Scandals
Yana resigned after a meeting of the lower house budget committee on Wednesday. He attributed his departure to the distractions caused by the scandals, which hindered his ability to fulfill his ministerial duties. He had held the post for only one month.
The scandals included remarks by Yana in May about cutting budget expenditures for two localities whose mayors had not supported him, as well as the free transportation of supporters by bus during election campaigns, potentially violating the Public Offices Election Act.
A report this week also revealed that Yana allegedly paid workers in his election campaign to make phone calls urging voters to vote for him, which may have also been a violation of election legislation. Political commentator Tetsuo Suzuki noted that these alleged violations of election rules dealt a serious blow to the Takaichi government.
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Questions over Personnel Decisions
Yana's resignation intensified questions regarding his initial appointment despite prior controversies. In 2024, he was suspended for six months from a party post in the Liberal Democratic Party for failing to report ¥17.46 million.