Agriculture Minister Kazuo Yana apologizes for budget cut remarks

Kazuo Yana, Japan’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, has issued a formal apology and retracted controversial statements regarding local government budgets. The controversy stems from audio recordings in which Yana allegedly claimed to have significantly cut road budgets for Nasukarasuyama City and Nakagawa Town—municipalities whose leaders did not support him during the recent election.

Yana clarified that he did not personally influence the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to reduce these budgets, describing his previous remarks as “extremely inappropriate” and a failure of character. Despite the backlash, Yana has stated he intends to remain in his position to fulfill his duties.

The incident has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, including the Constitutional Democratic Party, which has called for a full investigation into whether administrative neutrality was compromised. Within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, some members expressed surprise at his decision not to resign, citing concerns over his ability to withstand upcoming Diet deliberations. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has maintained silence on the matter following her support for Yana during the election.