Missing records cloud whether ousted farm minister pressed for road cuts

TOKYO - A lack of official records is making it difficult to determine whether ousted farm minister Kazuo Yana pressured the land ministry to reduce road budgets for municipalities in Tochigi Prefecture, which includes his home constituency.

Yana was forced to resign by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi earlier this week amid strong criticism of his remarks about cutting road budgets for municipalities whose leaders did not support him in a past general election.