From The Japan Times · No Author · · 1m 20s
LDP exec denies ex-farm minister’s influence on budget cuts
LDP executive says former agriculture minister did not influence municipal budget cuts.
In brief
LDP executive says former agriculture minister did not influence municipal budget cuts. LDP executive Koichi Hagiuda denied former agriculture minister Kazuo Yana influenced budget cuts for municipalities whose mayors did not support him in election. Originally reported by The Japan Times.
LDP executive denies influence
A ruling party executive on Sunday denied that former agriculture minister Kazuo Yana had influenced budget cuts for municipalities whose mayors did not support him in a general election.
Hagiuda rejects Yana's claim
LDP Executive Acting Secretary-General Koichi Hagiuda said on a television debate program that we have not been able to confirm that the results of the (budget) allocations to individual projects were changed as a result…
Budget system not personal
It is not a system that allows one lawmaker to raise or lower the budget of a local government.
Hagiuda apologizes for replacement
He apologized for the fact that Yana’s remark about budget cuts had led to his replacement as agriculture minister and called on Yana to properly explain what he did.
Budget must not be arbitrary
Budget allocations must not be arbitrarily influenced, he said, and any suspicions about budget allocations must be thoroughly investigated.
Possible investigation
He left open the possibility of examining whether funds are being allocated appropriately.
The short version
LDP executive Koichi Hagiuda denied former agriculture minister Kazuo Yana influenced budget cuts for municipalities whose mayors did not support him in election.
