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Takaichi Forces Agriculture Minister Out
Oct 19, 2026 | News On Japan
TOKYO - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has accepted the resignation of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Kazuo Yana following controversial remarks about cutting government funding to municipalities that did not support him in an election, ending nearly two weeks of mounting criticism and leaving unresolved allegations of political pressure and election law violations.
Yana submitted his resignation to Takaichi at the Prime Minister's Office on October 14, less than a month after taking office. His departure, widely regarded as an effective dismissal, marked a sharp reversal for the prime minister, who had initially defended his continued service and urged him to regain public trust through his work.
The controversy began when Yana was recorded claiming that road construction budgets for Nasukarasuyama City and Nakagawa Town in Tochigi Prefecture had been substantially reduced for fiscal 2026. His remarks suggested that the municipalities had been penalized because their local leaders had not supported him during an election campaign.
The statement raised immediate concerns about the political manipulation of public spending, with lawmakers questioning whether a national budget intended to serve residents had been used to reward political loyalty or punish opposition.
When the remarks first became public, Takaichi resisted calls for Yana's removal, saying she had told him to work hard and make up for his mistake through his performance as minister.
However, the scandal soon began interfering with his official responsibilities. Yana canceled a planned inspection of areas affected by heavy rainfall in Chiba Prefecture to prepare responses to parliamentary questioning over the budget controversy.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries also established an internal team to assist the minister in handling the allegations, diverting personnel from their regular duties. Yana acknowledged that the situation was troubling, saying he regretted the additional burden placed on ministry staff.
Criticism intensified in parliament, where lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition camps questioned whether Yana was qualified to remain in charge of government administration.
One lawmaker said it was inconceivable that a politician would reduce funding to a municipality simply because its mayor had supported another candidate. Another argued that if Yana had actually influenced the distribution of public money, the action amounted to using government spending for political advantage. If the cuts had not occurred, the remarks could instead be viewed as intimidation of voters through false claims.
Either way, lawmakers argued, such conduct was incompatible with the responsibilities of a Cabinet minister.
Takaichi maintained that government funding must never depend on whether a municipality supports the Liberal Democratic Party, insisting that such political discrimination did not occur in practice.
As the controversy continued, however, her position became increasingly critical. She described Yana's remarks as deeply inappropriate and embarrassing, saying she would have to consider whether someone who made such statements was suitable to oversee government administration.
Further allegations involving the Public Offices Election Act significantly increased the pressure on Yana.
It emerged that his election campaign had arranged free shuttle buses to transport supporters to a campaign launch event during a House of Representatives election. Under Japanese election law, providing benefits to voters in connection with elections is prohibited.