Japanese Farm Minister Resigns Amid Rice Price Crisis

Taku Eto Steps Down After Controversial Remarks on Rice Purchases, Fueling Political Tensions in Japan.

TOKYO - Japanese Farm Minister Taku Eto resigned on Wednesday, May 21st, taking responsibility for remarks regarding rice that sparked public outrage amid soaring prices of the staple food.

Public broadcaster NHK and other media sources reported that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is expected to appoint former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi to succeed Eto.

Eto faced intense criticism following reports of his comments at a political fundraising event on Sunday. He reportedly stated that he "never had to buy rice" due to receiving gifts from supporters. These remarks resonated poorly with the public, facing the strain of record-high rice prices.

The comments drew criticism from both opposition parties and members of the ruling coalition, adding pressure to Ishiba's leadership ahead of crucial elections in July.

"I made an extremely inappropriate remark at a time when citizens are suffering from soaring rice prices," Eto stated to reporters early Wednesday morning after submitting his resignation.

Eto's departure marks the first resignation from Ishiba's cabinet, formed in October.

The dramatic rise in rice prices, doubling in the past year to reach multi-decade highs, has become a significant concern for Japanese voters. While the government has implemented measures since March to address the price surge, they haven't yielded significant results to date.