Kazuo Yana

Ministry finds no pressure, but questions remain for Yana.

The Land Ministry said it discovered no evidence that Agriculture Minister Kazuo Yana pressured officials to cut road funding for two municipalities whose mayors backed his rival in a lower house race.

However, the announcement has not quelled the controversy, as questions remain over Jana's claim that he had substantially cut their budgets.

Normally, politicians say, I increase the budget, so please vote for me the next time.

Farm minister under heavy fire over road budget cut remarks The agriculture minister is facing mounting criticism after reportedly claiming road budgets were slashed for two municipalities whose mayors did not support him politically.

The newly surfaced remarks prompted a government investigation and calls for Kazuo Yana's resignation, only weeks after being named to the post.

According to weekly magazines Shukan Bunshan and Daily Shinsho, Yana told a closed-door gathering following a May 24 meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party's Otawara branch that we sharply cut the fiscal 2026 road budget for Nasukara-Suyama City and Nakagawa Town in Tachigi Prefecture.

Both publications said they obtained audio recordings of the remarks.

It is a minority in the Senate.

Foreign Minister Kazuo Yana and Education Minister Yoshihiro Seki face questions over discipline in a slush fund scandal.

Background: Takaichi told a parliamentary committee in early November twenty twenty-five about Taiwan.

Beijing summoned Japan's ambassador and demanded she withdraw the remarks.