Tokyo, Oct. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japanese agriculture minister Kazuo Yana on Monday retracted and apologized for his recent controversial remarks on road development budgets for municipalities in his constituency in Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo. Speaking to reporters in the Diet, Yana revealed that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed him earlier in the day to fulfill his duties, and reiterated his intention to remain in office. The remarks came to light following weekly magazine reports. Yana, who took office last month, reportedly said during a meeting of the Tochigi chapter of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in May that road budgets for the city of Nasukarasuyama and the town of Nakagawa were drastically cut for fiscal 2026 after their mayors backed his contender in the House of Representatives election in February. He claimed that the mayors indicated through their actions that they did not need a lawmaker from the LDP, according to the magazine reports. On Monday, Yana largely admitted to making these remarks but denied approaching the land ministry to cut road budgets for the municipalities. “It was extremely inappropriate for me to suggest that I could influence budgets,” Yana said. “I deeply regret it.” “I will devote myself fully to my duties and continue to carry out my responsibilities for the development of Japan’s agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries,” he added. Opposition parties have questioned Yana’s responsibility for the remarks. “The essence of the issue is whether government administration has been distorted,” Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki told reporters. Tamaki said that the government should investigate all ministries and agencies to check whether similar incidents have occurred, and report its findings to the Diet. Democratic Reform Party leader Junya Ogawa called for Yana’s resignation, arguing that he is unfit to serve as a cabinet minister. “It would be desirable for him to make his own decision or for the prime minister to fulfill her responsibility as his appointer,” Ogawa said. Fumitake Fujita, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, the junior coalition partner of the LDP, also criticized Yana’s remarks at a press conference on Monday, saying the minister had been carried away. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
