TOKYO - Japan's Agriculture Minister Kazuo Yana is facing mounting pressure to resign over remarks suggesting that government funding was reduced for municipalities that failed to support him in an election, with opposition parties considering a censure motion that could disrupt parliamentary deliberations on a consumption tax reduction bill.
Yana has faced sustained criticism since acknowledging remarks about cuts to road construction budgets in his home constituency of Tochigi Prefecture. The controversy has also triggered dissatisfaction within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), raising questions about whether he can withstand intensified questioning when parliamentary budget committee deliberations begin on October 13th.
The minister remained out of public view during the three-day holiday weekend and did not attend a political fundraising event held in his home prefecture. Although his appointment to the Cabinet would ordinarily have provided an opportunity to celebrate his achievement with local supporters, Yana reportedly canceled his appearance because of official duties.
His absence followed an uncomfortable encounter with fellow LDP lawmakers last week, when he was openly criticized over his handling of the controversy.
One party member suggested that Yana should have begun by apologizing for the disruption and promising to provide a thorough explanation. Another told him that even lawmakers who wanted to support him were finding it difficult to do so under the circumstances.
Yana responded with an apology, saying, "I sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart. I am very sorry."
Although the gathering ended with applause and words of encouragement, dissatisfaction within the party appears far from resolved.
One LDP member said attitudes toward the minister were generally negative, adding that personal character was ultimately more important than policy positions.
Another suggested that Yana had yet to fully discharge his responsibility to explain his conduct and that the decision about his political future should ultimately rest with the minister himself.
The immediate political focus is shifting to the House of Councillors, where six opposition parties are considering submitting a censure motion against Yana.
If adopted, the motion could complicate the parliamentary timetable for a bill to reduce the consumption tax, which the ruling parties are seeking to bring forward for deliberation on October 20th.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi indicated last week that she intends to retain Yana in his Cabinet position, despite the growing criticism.
However, the start of budget committee deliberations on October 13th is expected to expose the minister to more aggressive questioning from opposition lawmakers, who are demanding a fuller explanation of his statements and the circumstances surrounding the reductions in government funding.
The controversy originated from remarks Yana made about road construction budgets allocated to municipalities in Tochigi Prefecture's third electoral district.
During a political gathering in May, Yana said that road budgets had been substantially reduced for Nasukarasuyama City and Nakagawa Town, where local government leaders had supported his opponent in the February House of Representatives election.
The remarks raised concerns that national government funding might have been influenced by electoral considerations rather than infrastructure requirements.
Yana subsequently withdrew the remarks and apologized, denying that he had pressured the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to reduce funding.
Nevertheless, the controversy has continued to generate criticism from both political opponents and members of the public.
Residents interviewed in Tochigi's third electoral district expressed skepticism about the prime minister's decision to retain the minister.
One resident said Yana appeared to be a favorite of Takaichi, suggesting that the prime minister should remove him precisely because of their close relationship.
"If he's her favorite, I actually think it would be better for Takaichi to dismiss him. I wonder why she's protecting him," the resident said.
Another resident said the controversy had become so widespread that related videos were appearing on TikTok, indicating the seriousness of the issue.
The resident added that the emergence of such suspicions was itself a fundamental problem, regardless of whether wrongdoing could ultimately be established.
Distrust is particularly pronounced in Nasukarasuyama, one of the municipalities named in the minister's remarks.
City council chairman Soma questioned the sincerity and intended recipients of Yana's apology.
"He says he apologizes, but I really wonder who he is apologizing to. Who exactly is he apologizing to?" Soma said.
Nasukarasuyama was among the municipalities where local leaders did not support Yana in the February general election.
The city's allocation under one category of national government road construction grants fell by approximately 63% compared with the previous fiscal year.
The reduction has had tangible consequences for local infrastructure projects.
At an industrial park approximately 15 minutes by car from JR Karasuyama Station, construction work on a municipal road has been forced to stop partway through.
Only a section of the road's embankment slope has been covered with concrete, while the remaining sections have been left unfinished.
The incomplete work illustrates the difficulties facing local authorities after the reduction in funding, with infrastructure improvements that had been scheduled to proceed now facing delays.
Since the controversy emerged, Nasukarasuyama City has received numerous inquiries from residents concerned about the circumstances surrounding the budget reductions.
The city council is preparing to convene an extraordinary session on October 14th to consider a resolution protesting Yana's remarks.
Soma said the minister's explanations had failed to remove the anxiety and distrust felt by local residents and officials.
"The distrust and anxiety have not been dispelled at all," he said. "I don't think this is a problem that will disappear simply with the passage of time."
He emphasized that the municipality deserved a clear and direct explanation from the minister.
"As the people who were named in his remarks, we want him to provide a proper explanation," Soma said.
The dispute has become a test of the government's ability to maintain political discipline while advancing its legislative agenda.
With the prime minister continuing to support Yana, opposition parties are weighing whether to escalate the confrontation through a formal censure motion.
The outcome could affect not only the minister's political future but also the government's efforts to move forward with consumption tax reductions, as questions about the use of public funds continue to overshadow the parliamentary debate.
Source: TBS
