TOKYO. Japan’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Taku Eto, resigned on Wednesday following public outrage over a controversial statement he made about receiving rice as gifts, a comment deemed insensitive amid the nation’s ongoing struggle with soaring rice prices.
During a political seminar held Sunday in Saga Prefecture, Eto said he “never had to buy rice” because his supporters regularly give him the staple grain as a gift. The remark sparked immediate backlash from consumers already grappling with record-high food prices. It was seen as particularly tone-deaf as rice remains a symbolic and essential part of the Japanese diet.
“I made an extremely inappropriate remark at a time when consumers are struggling with soaring rice prices,” Eto told reporters after submitting his resignation to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. “I thought it is not appropriate for me to stay as head” just as the government needs to tackle the rice price challenges, he added.
Eto retracted his comment, stating that he does buy rice and does not solely rely on gifts for his supply. “I apologize to the people,” he said.
Prime Minister Ishiba, who accepted the resignation, acknowledged his own responsibility for appointing Eto. “I humbly accept criticism,” he said. Japanese media report that popular former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is expected to succeed Eto.
Opposition parties had threatened to file a no-confidence motion if Eto did not voluntarily step down by Wednesday afternoon, intensifying pressure on the already embattled Ishiba administration ahead of the July national elections.
Rice demand in Japan has steadily declined over the years as dietary habits shift, but the staple continues to hold cultural and historical significance. The recent price surge began last August amid panic buying triggered by government warnings to prepare for a major earthquake. While supplies briefly stabilized following the autumn harvest, shortages and rising prices returned in early 2024.
Government officials have attributed the problem to poor harvests caused by unusually hot weather in 2023, combined with rising costs of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs. However, some experts point to the government’s long-standing rice production policies as a contributing factor.
In response to the crisis, the government released significant quantities of rice from its emergency reserves, but recent data from the agriculture ministry indicates that the move has done little to ease the shortage or bring down prices.
While the government denies a current rice shortage, officials admit there are serious distribution challenges. “It’s a mystery why rice is not reaching consumers,” one official said, while experts argue that the severity of the supply issue may have been underestimated from the outset.
Edgaroo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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