Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appointed Arata Takebe, former Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, to replace former Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Kazuo Yan, who was effectively dismissed in response to his remarks about ``budget cuts'' and hastened to rebuild his shaky cabinet. The selection of candidates showed his commitment to the ``Takaichi style,'' which is not bound by Nagatacho's logic, but the opposition party has gained momentum due to his resignation less than a month after the cabinet reshuffle, and the prime minister's parliamentary strategy is starting to go awry.
University professor submits complaint against Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yan, free bus issue
"I am also the Chairman of the Agriculture and Forestry Department, and I am also the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. I'm sure you have it all in your head. Please do your best." On the morning of the 15th, one day after Mr. Yan's dismissal, the Prime Minister called Mr. Takebe into the Prime Minister's Office in the Prime Minister's Office and informed him of his appointment as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
According to officials at the Prime Minister's Office, the prime minister began preparations to change the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on the night of the 13th, one day before Mr. Yan's appointment. He named the five candidates and instructed the National Intelligence Service to conduct a ``physical examination'' to check for any scandals.
With questions at the House of Councilors Budget Committee approaching, there were voices within the party that the candidate should be selected from among those with experience as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, but of the five candidates nominated, the only one with experience was Ichiro Miyashita, who resigned due to an issue with a slush fund from the Liberal Democratic Party's faction. In the end, the prime minister chose Takebe, who was joining the cabinet for the first time.
The Prime Minister once again placed emphasis on the ``Position Desirability Questionnaire'' that was filled out by members of the House of Representatives belonging to the party. Mr. Takebe, who received the instructions from the prime minister, said, ``He wanted me to move forward with what I wrote (in the questionnaire).I thought he was reading through it carefully.''
Some people can sense the prime minister's political intentions. In 2025, Takebe, while in the position of Vice Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, effectively made it clear that he wanted then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to step down, and played a role in setting the tone for his resignation. A source close to the Aso faction said, ``This is a personnel award for meritorious conduct.'' Mr. Takebe is close to Takayuki Kobayashi, chairman of the Policy Research Institute who ran against the prime minister in last year's party presidential election, and some government sources believe that he is ``aiming to drive a wedge into Mr. Kobayashi's group.''
However, by ignoring calls for ``safe driving'' and continuing to do his own thing, the prime minister has once again been burdened with heavier appointment responsibilities. Mr. Takebe will face the House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting starting on the 16th with little time to prepare. If the party stalls on answers, it cannot be ruled out that the theory of responsibility will spread within the party.
For the prime minister, it is a ``superior order'' for the bill related to the consumption tax reduction on foodstuffs to be debated in the House of Representatives on the 20th. This was also the reason for the decision to replace Mr. Yan. However, the opposition parties are gaining momentum. The House of Representatives ``Centrist'' faction demands that the prime minister be present for questioning on the 20th, and that the prime minister also be questioned at the House of Representatives Finance and Financial Affairs Committee, where the bill will be referred. Unable to come to terms with the Liberal Democratic Party, it was not decided to enter deliberation.
In light of the confusion in the Cabinet, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has moved to move the House of Councilors' Budget Committee questions scheduled for the 16th and 19th to the 19th and 20th. Since the delay in the Budget Committee meant that deliberations on the 20th would be delayed, the Liberal Democratic Party proposed increasing the time for questions from the opposition parties, and finally reached an agreement.
