Concern spreads within the ruling party over controversial statements and allegations made by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Kazuo Yanagi and Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Hisayuki Fujii.

Concerns are growing within the ruling party after reports of controversial statements and suspicions about Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Kazuo Yan (47) and Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Hisayuki Fujii (55), who were newly appointed in the recent cabinet reshuffle. This is because the extraordinary Diet session, the first of the second Takaichi reshuffled cabinet, is scheduled to be convened on the 5th, and this could become a flash point for the administration. The opposition parties are poised to pursue the matter, including the responsibility for appointing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Yan Yan says that the local budget has been "cut". Before taking office, election-related comments and reports - Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara is "looking into it"

Bunshun Online and other outlets reported that Yan said at a meeting in his home prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture, in May, ``The 2026 road budget for Nasukarasuyama City and Nakagawa Town (in the same prefecture) has been drastically cut,'' and ``The mayor took the action of saying, ``We don't need Liberal Democratic Party Diet members.'' Yan was defeated by a new independent in the February House of Representatives election, but was revived and re-elected through proportional representation.

Mr. Yan was asked by reporters at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on the 1st about the contents of the report, but he declined to explain, saying, ``I would like to refrain from answering matters related to my activities as a member of the Diet.''

Shukan Bunshun reported that Fujii is suspected of having bribed campaigners during the 2024 House of Representatives election, which is prohibited under the Public Offices Election Act.

Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Chairman Takayuki Kobayashi defended Yan and Fujii at a press conference on the 1st, saying, ``They are politicians with great policy ability, so I would like them to take the lead as cabinet ministers.'' A senior official in the prime minister's office said, ``There is no problem,'' and indicated that both ministers would continue in their posts.

However, there is a sense of crisis within the ruling party. A senior Liberal Democratic Party official pointed out, ``If there is a problem, it would be better for the administration to replace him as soon as possible.'' A senior member of the Liberal Democratic Party of the House of Councilors said, ``Will it survive deliberations at the Budget Committee?''

In March of this year, the issue of the then-Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Yohei Matsumoto's issues with women came to the fore, but the issue did not develop into a question of whether to move on or retreat. If a cabinet member is replaced due to scandal, it would be the first time since the Takaichi administration took office, and it would certainly be a blow to the prime minister.