Opposition Parties Are United against Agriculture Minister

Six opposition parties in the Upper House consider sponsoring a censure motion against Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, Kazuo Yana, who had intimidated local governments to reduce subsidy. The leading coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Japan Innovation Party do not have a majority in the House. Although the motion does not have power to discharge Yana, it is likely that discussion of all the bills may be refused by the opposition parties, if the motion is approved. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has not changed her position of protecting Yana. 

Yana admitted his comment that he had cut the budget for construction of roads in Nasukarasuyama city and Nakagawa town, which are located in his electoral district, but denied his engagement in the decision for the budget. The budget for those roads were actually cut in fiscal year 2026. Although the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) also denied influence of Yana on the budget, but did not disclose any evidence of receiving Yana’s instruction.

 

In the plenary sittings of both chambers of the Diet, the opposition parties demanded Takaichi dismissal of Yana, because Yana cannot be trusted as making indifferent decisions in distribution of national budget as an agricultural minister. Takaichi refused those requests, expecting Yana to make more effort to prove his innocence through his works.

 

The more Takaichi insists on saving her cabinet minister, the firmer opposition parties are united to protest Takaichi administration. The chairpersons of six opposition parties, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Democratic Party for the People, Komeito, Sanseito, Japan Communist Party and Party of Life (former Reiwa-Shinsengumi) agreed on considering a censure move in both Houses.

 

Different from non-confidence resolution against prime minister, censure move does not have power to replace a cabinet minister. But it may give a cause for rejecting any discussion over bills in the Diet as far as that incredible minister is involved in the bill. The most important issue for Takaichi in this Diet session, consumption tax cut bills, has relationship with agriculture minister, since Takaichi administration considers subsidy for farmers.

 

The opposition parties have already agreed on rejecting discussion in the Upper House. Since the leading coalition does not have majority in the Upper House, Takaichi cannot have viable perspective to pass the consumption tax cut bill. If she fails in passing the bills in this session, her major agenda for supporting households in current price inflation will not be able to start in April 2026.

 

If she is forced to replace Yana, receiving pressure from opposition parties and even some lawmakers in the leading coalition, the approval rate for Takaichi Cabinet will show further decline in coming polls. Her reshuffling of cabinet ministers and LDP board members in September did not significantly work for raising the approval rate. She has exercised her ultimate power to dissolve the Lower House earlier this year. Overuse of that authority will ignite criticisms to the prime minister. Takaichi does not have so many choices to protect Yana.

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