Tokyo, May 21 — Japan’s Agriculture Minister, Taku Eto, stepped down Wednesday following public backlash over a tone-deaf remark he made about not needing to buy rice — a staple food now increasingly out of reach for many Japanese families grappling with soaring prices.
“Just now, I submitted my resignation to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba,” Eto told reporters solemnly, his words reflecting the gravity of the moment.
Eto’s resignation comes in the wake of a controversial comment he made during a recent public gathering, where he casually stated, “I’ve never bought rice myself because my supporters donate so much to me that I could practically sell it.”
The remark was particularly painful for the public to hear as rice prices have nearly doubled over the past year, driven by a mix of extreme weather in 2023 that devastated harvests and panic-buying spurred by a major earthquake warning.
While the government has tried to cushion the blow by releasing some of its emergency rice reserves, for many citizens — especially low-income families — the struggle to afford daily meals is very real.
Eto, who had earlier expressed sympathy for consumers hit hard by the price hikes, tried to walk back his statement on Monday. He admitted he had exaggerated and even said his wife scolded him for the comment, reminding him that she often had to buy rice when their donated supply ran out.
“It’s not like our family lives entirely off of rice gifts,” he clarified, in an attempt to calm the outrage.
However, his efforts came too late. The comment was widely condemned, with Junya Ogawa, secretary-general of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, calling it “extremely inappropriate, out of touch, and intolerable.”
Prime Minister Ishiba reportedly gave Eto a stern warning on Tuesday, but allowed him to continue in his role — for a time. By Wednesday, Eto submitted his resignation, and Ishiba accepted it.
In the end, the minister’s words — meant perhaps in jest — served as a harsh reminder of the growing disconnect between political leaders and the everyday struggles of ordinary citizens.
