Takaichi sacks embattled farm minister as scandals threaten policy agenda

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday effectively dismissed her scandal-hit farm minister Kazuo Yana, as mounting scrutiny of his conduct in his constituency including suspicions of possible illegality threatened to disrupt her policy agenda.

Yana submitted his resignation to Takaichi some two weeks after reports that he had said road budgets were drastically cut for two municipalities in his Tochigi Prefecture constituency whose leaders did not back him in the February general election triggered pressure from opposition parties for his removal.