Farm minister resigns over rice comments; Koizumi to replace him

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, whose popularity has already been shattered by cost-of-living issues, particularly the skyrocketing price of rice, suffered a setback when Farm Minister Taku Eto resigned on Wednesday after receiving criticism for saying he does not purchase rice because he receives so many gifts from supporters.

According to government sources, Ishiba installed Shinjiro Koizumi, 44, in Eto’s place. Koizumi was a well-liked former environment minister who lost the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election last year.

After meeting with Ishiba, Koizumi told reporters he would prioritize calming public concerns about rising rice prices.

After accepting Eto’s resignation, Ishiba acknowledged his own responsibility as the person who handpicked him and allowed him to stay on even as objections mounted over the comments, saying, “I will accept all criticism.”

Eto, 64, tendered his resignation at the prime minister’s office, hours before Ishiba is set to face off in parliament with leaders of the country’s opposition parties, who had united in their calls for Eto’s resignation.

The latest scandal comes as Ishiba prepares for a House of Councillors election this summer, a must-win race for the ruling coalition after they lost control of the more powerful House of Representatives last year.

Eto is the first of Ishiba’s cabinet members to leave office for reasons other than having lost a parliamentary seat in the general election in October.

“I asked myself whether it is appropriate for me to stay at the helm (of the ministry) at a critical time for rice prices, and I concluded that it is not,” Eto told reporters at the prime minister’s office after tendering his resignation.

“Once again, I apologize to the people for making extremely inappropriate comments as minister when they are struggling with surging rice prices,” he said.

Eto’s gaffe came shortly after the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries decided to release additional rice from its emergency stockpiles until July. The move was made in the hope of bringing down rice prices, which have doubled from a year earlier.

Eto is known as one of the leading experts on agricultural policy in the ruling party, and served as farm minister for a year from 2019 under then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.