With a food tax-cut bill and a security-strategy overhaul looming, Prime Minister Takaichi can ill afford to let scandal erode trust.
Agriculture Minister Kazuo Yana (at the time) enters the Prime Minister's Office on October 14. (©Sankei/Ataru Haruna)
Agriculture Minister Kazuo Yana has submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, but his departure comes only after mounting controversy over his conduct. His resignation is widely seen as a de facto dismissal by the prime minister.
Yana sparked controversy after claiming he cut road funding for municipalities whose mayors did not support him in the February Lower House election.
He also faced allegations of violating the Public Offices Election Act by providing supporters with free shuttle bus rides between his campaign kickoff venue and a temporary parking lot on the first day of official campaigning.
Yana's remarks about road funding raised serious questions about fairness in public administration, while the free shuttle rides cast doubt on the integrity of the electoral process.
Both controversies strike at the heart of public trust in politics, yet Yana failed to provide a satisfactory explanation. His conduct fell short of the standards expected of a cabinet minister, and Prime Minister Takaichi must also take responsibility for appointing him.
Road Budget Controversy
The controversy began in May, when Yana, then the Liberal Democratic Party's senior deputy secretary-general, addressed party members in Otawara, Tochigi Prefecture.
Expressing frustration that local mayors had not supported him in the lower house election, he declared, "We drastically cut this fiscal year's road budgets for Nasukarasuyama and Nakagawa." Both municipalities are in Tochigi's 3rd District, which Yana represents.
Yana later retracted his remarks, insisting that he had never requested any budget cuts.
Prime Minister Takaichi criticized him during a Lower House Budget Committee session. "He hadn't actually done anything to cut the budgets, but he made it sound as though he had to impress people in his constituency," she said. "It was an extremely careless remark."
Questions Over Free Shuttle Rides
Addressing the shuttle bus controversy at the Budget Committee, Yana said, "There is no public transportation in the area, and many of those attending were elderly. I arranged the buses out of humanitarian concern. This did not constitute providing benefits or making a donation."
Even if Yana was genuinely motivated by humanitarian concerns, that does not settle whether the free rides constituted a prohibited benefit under the Public Offices Election Act. Yana failed to fully explain how the transportation was arranged or who paid for it, leaving serious questions unanswered.
No Time to Lose Amid Mounting Challenges
The upcoming extraordinary Diet session is expected to address legislation to reduce the consumption tax on food and beverages, a measure that directly affects household finances.
The government must also revise Japan's three key national security documents, including the National Security Strategy, by the end of the year. With major challenges mounting, there is little time to waste.
With major policy challenges ahead, Prime Minister Takaichi's key priorities will be restoring stability to the Cabinet and rebuilding public trust. The controversy also underscores the importance of accountability and discipline among Cabinet ministers and ruling-party lawmakers.
RELATED:
Agriculture Minister Yana Apologizes to Staff Over Road Budget Remark
(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: The Sankei Shimbun