Japan's Agriculture Minister Resigns Over Controversial Rice Statement

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Japan's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Taku Eto, officially resigned on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, after his statement that he never bought rice drew widespread criticism from the public and the parliament.

The statement was considered insensitive amid the soaring prices of staple foods that burden the people.

Eto commented on a political fundraising event on Sunday (18/5). He said he never bought rice because he always received it from supporters.

Eto said he never bought rice. His supporters have given him so much rice that he has more than he can sell, as quoted from the NHK website.

The statement immediately triggered a wave of criticism, especially because the Japanese people have been facing a surge in rice prices in recent months. Some parties viewed the comment as a sign of social imbalance and the insensitivity of public officials to the people's conditions.

At a press conference after submitting his resignation letter at the Prime Minister's office, Eto apologized and said he wanted to take responsibility for his words.

"I made an extremely inappropriate remark at a time when citizens are suffering from soaring rice prices," he said, as quoted from CNA.

To the Kyodo news agency, Eto said he no longer felt fit to lead the ministry. "I asked myself whether it is appropriate for me to stay at the helm [of the agriculture ministry] at a critical time for rice prices, and I concluded that it is not," he said, quoted from the news sky.

Opposition parties such as the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan also strongly responded to Eto's statement. They called his remarks highly inappropriate and questioned his eligibility as a minister. Some members of parliament even considered filing a vote of no confidence.

Rice prices in Japan have sharply increased in recent months. Government data shows that retail rice prices in supermarkets reached 4,268 yen per 5 kilograms in the week ending May 11. The price has doubled from last year.

The Japanese government has released emergency rice stocks since March to control prices, but its impact is minimal. Many consumers have started to switch to cheaper imported rice. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba even stated that to remain affordable, rice prices should be in the range of 3,000 to 3,999 yen.

As reported by nyseikatsu, this is in contrast to the price of Japanese rice outside the country. For example, in the United States, based on the nyseikatsu website in New York, during ongoing inflation, imported Japanese rice is sold in Japanese grocery stores for up to US$24 or around 3,439 yen per 5 kilograms. The types of rice sold include Koshihikari from Shiga Prefecture, as well as Nanatsuboshi and Yumepirika from Hokkaido.

In response to Eto's resignation, Prime Minister Ishiba appointed Shinjiro Koizumi as the new Minister of Agriculture. Koizumi previously served as the Minister of the Environment and is known as a reformist figure.

"Koizumi is someone who has experience, insights, and passion for reforms on agriculture and fisheries," Ishiba said in his statement.

Eto's resignation as the Minister of Agriculture is a political blow to Prime Minister Ishiba's government, which is struggling to maintain economic stability and public trust amid the pressure of food prices.

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