Japan’s agriculture minister resigns after remark about buying rice
Taku Eto came under fire earlier this week after saying that he never had to buy rice thanks to his supporters’ gifts.
Japan’s agriculture minister said on Wednesday that he has submitted his resignation over an inappropriate remark about buying rice that angered the public.
Taku Eto said prime minister Shigeru Ishiba accepted the resignation.
Mr Eto came under fire earlier this week after saying that he never had to buy rice thanks to his supporters’ gifts, triggering an uproar at a time when consumers are struggling with a rice shortage and skyrocketing prices.
“I made an extremely inappropriate remark at a time when consumers are struggling with soaring rice prices,” Mr Eto told reporters after handing in his resignation at the prime minister’s office.
“I thought it is not appropriate for me to stay as head” just as the government needs to tackle the rice price challenges, Mr Eto said.
He apologised to the people and also retracted his comment, saying he buys rice himself and was not living on rice gifts.
Mr Eto’s gaffe and resignation could deal a further setback for Mr Ishiba’s already struggling minority government, which has seen dwindling public support.
Opposition parties had threatened to submit a no-confidence motion against him if Mr Eto did not resign voluntarily by Wednesday afternoon.
Japanese rice demand has decreased over decades as people’s diet has diversified, but rice remains a staple food and integral part of Japanese culture and history.
The shortfall started last August on panic buying following a government caution over preparedness for a major earthquake. The supply pressure eased after the autumn harvest, but a shortage and price increases hit again early this year.
Officials have blamed the supply shortage on poor harvests due to hot weather in 2023 and higher fertiliser and other production costs, but some experts blame the government’s long-term rice production policy.
The government released tons of rice from its emergency stockpile in recent weeks, but the latest agricultural ministry statistics show the release has hardly helped to ease the shortage or lower prices.
The unprecedented release from emergency rice stockpile was seen in part as an attempt to figure out distribution problems.
The government has denied there is now a rice shortage, but officials say it is a mystery why rice is not reaching consumers. Some experts say it is because the shortage was so serious.
