Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi effectively replaced Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Kazuo Yan, who had just been appointed in the cabinet reshuffle in September. Issues surrounding Mr. Yan have surfaced one after another, including his remarks about ``budget cuts.'' The opposition parties were forced to submit a resolution to censure Mr. Yan, and this was the first time since he took office in October last year that he was forced to change the cabinet due to misconduct. It cannot be denied that the response has been delayed, and the damage to the government is inevitable.
Prime Minister Takaichi fires Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Yan Yan, first blow to government after taking office - following suspicion of violation of public election law
"I received a request to resign from my position as a minister. I have decided to accept the request." After meeting with Mr. Yan at the prime minister's official residence on the night of the 14th, the prime minister spoke to reporters with a weary expression.
The issue came to light at the end of September, when Mr. Yan said that he had ``significantly cut'' the budgets of local governments that did not support him in the House of Representatives election. However, the prime minister initially appeared protective of Yan, encouraging him to ``just work and give back in return'' and ``I want him to work as hard as anyone else.''
Mr. Yan is a lawmaker involved in the Liberal Democratic Party faction slush fund scandal. The amount not recorded in the political funds balance report amounted to 17.46 million yen, and some within the Liberal Democratic Party said it was too early. Still, the reason behind his admission into the cabinet was the commitment of the Prime Minister, who has publicly declared that he was ``my precious Yan.'' A mid-ranking Liberal Democratic Party official explained, ``This appointment was made despite arguments for caution.The prime minister seems to have feared that if he were to cut back, it would directly lead to a decline in approval ratings.''
However, the siege quickly narrowed. On the 7th, Bunshun Online reported on allegations that Yan's campaign violated the Public Offices Election Act by transporting supporters for free during the House of Representatives election. Then, a week later, on the 14th, the suspicion of bribery of campaign workers was reported, and an atmosphere quickly spread within the Liberal Democratic Party that ``if there is something illegal, we can't cover it up'' (according to a person involved).
In response to the public backlash, the opposition parties, which had been in a wait-and-see mood, stepped up their offensive. Ten opposition parties agreed on the 14th to submit a resolution to censure Mr. Yan to the House of Councilors, where the ruling party continues to lack a majority. Liberal Democratic Party House of Councilors Secretary-General Kazuhiko Aoki telephoned an independent lawmaker and asked him if he would oppose the move, but the lawmaker refused to nod his head.
If the bill of censure is submitted, it is certain that the start of the House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting from the 16th will be delayed. There was a strong possibility that the start of deliberations on the consumption tax reduction bill on the 20th, which the government is particular about, would be delayed. If passed, the bill could have a lasting impact throughout the current Diet session.
Motohisa Furukawa, chairman of the Democratic Party of Japan's country relations committee, declared at a press conference, ``We are not in a position to begin deliberating the consumption tax reduction bill,'' making it inevitable that the bill would have an impact on the tax reduction bill, which the Prime Minister has placed as a top priority.
There is strong dissatisfaction within the ruling party over the delay in making decisions. A mid-ranking member of the Liberal Democratic Party met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara last week and told him, ``It would be less of a blow if he were forced to resign.'' However, Mr. Kihara did not respond, saying, ``I still want to see what happens.'' ``Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga during the Abe administration would have cut it at the beginning,'' said a senior member of the Japan Restoration Association.
