By Atoyebi Nike
Japan’s Agriculture Minister Taku Eto has resigned following public outrage over remarks suggesting he never buys rice due to receiving large amounts from supporters, a comment many saw as insensitive amid rising food prices.
Eto made the controversial statement during a Sunday seminar of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), saying, “I’ve never bought rice myself because my supporters donate so much to me that I can practically sell it.” The remark sparked swift backlash across the country, where rice prices have nearly doubled since April 2024.
On Wednesday, Eto told reporters he had submitted his resignation after receiving “very tough words” from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
“I apologise to the Japanese people,” Prime Minister Ishiba told the Upper House later that day. “It is my responsibility that I appointed him.” Ishiba called the incident “extremely unfortunate” but added he had approved the resignation “from the viewpoint that agriculture policy cannot stop functioning.”
Opposition leaders were quick to condemn Eto’s comments. Junya Ogawa, secretary-general of the Constitutional Democratic Party, described the remarks as “extremely inappropriate, out of touch and intolerable.”
Eto attempted to clarify his remarks on Monday, stating he had exaggerated. “My wife corrected me,” he said. “She told me that she does go buy rice when our stockpile of donated rice runs out.”
Despite the clarification, political damage had been done. Reports suggested opposition parties were considering a no-confidence motion against Ishiba’s minority government ahead of national elections scheduled for July.
The controversy comes at a time when Japan is grappling with soaring rice prices due to multiple factors, including poor harvests in 2023 caused by extreme heat, panic-buying after a major earthquake warning, and a post-pandemic tourism boom. Government efforts to curb prices by releasing rice from emergency reserves have seen limited impact.
In the wake of Eto’s resignation, Ishiba named Shinjiro Koizumi as the new agriculture minister. Koizumi, a former environment minister and son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, is widely viewed as a charismatic and media-savvy figure.
“I expect Minister Koizumi to show strong leadership amid soaring rice prices,” Ishiba stated.
The resignation adds to mounting challenges facing the LDP, which has been battling low approval ratings and internal fractures ahead of the upcoming election.
