Japan’s Agriculture Minister Yasuhiro Ozato to Resign; Decision Made Following Loss in House of Representatives Election

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:23 JST, October 29, 2024

Agriculture Minister Yasuhiro Ozato on Tuesday announced his intention to resign following his loss in Sunday’s House of Representatives election.

“As I lose my status as a member of the Diet, I will not be able to fulfill my role as a minister. I will resign,” he told reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office.

He has already informed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of his intention to resign, but as for the timing of his resignation, he said: “I want to take measures that will not cause any trouble. It is the prime minister’s decision.”

Ishiba mentioned the two ministers who failed to win their elections, Ozato and Justice Minister Hideki Makihara, at a press conference on Monday, saying, “We must decide on their replacements in a timely, appropriate, and prompt manner.”