TOKYO, May 21 – In a country where rice isn’t just food but a cultural staple, one comment proved too much to swallow.
Japan’s Agriculture Minister, Taku Eto, resigned on Wednesday after facing intense public backlash for a tone-deaf remark about never needing to buy rice – a statement that hit hard at a time when many Japanese households are struggling with steep food price increases.
“Just now, I submitted my resignation to Prime Minister Ishiba,” Eto said quietly to reporters outside the Prime Minister’s Office, looking visibly regretful.
The controversy began when Eto, while speaking at a local event last weekend, said, “I’ve never had to buy rice myself because my supporters give me so much of it, I could almost sell it.”
To the average Japanese citizen – many of whom are now paying nearly double for rice compared to last year – the comment felt deeply out of touch. The spike in rice prices has been fueled by extreme weather conditions, poor harvests, and even panic-buying sparked by fears of a potential mega-earthquake.
Adding to the public frustration, Eto had only recently expressed sympathy for consumers burdened by these rising costs. His remark not only seemed hypocritical but dismissive of the very people he was supposed to serve.
Junya Ogawa, a senior member of the opposition party, didn’t mince words, calling the comment “extremely inappropriate, out of touch, and intolerable.”
Eto tried to smooth things over earlier this week, admitting he’d exaggerated and even joked that his wife scolded him after hearing the news. “She told me she actually does go out and buy rice when the donated rice runs out,” he confessed. “It’s not like we live entirely off gifts.”
Despite a harsh reprimand from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday, Eto initially remained in his position. But the pressure continued to mount, and by Wednesday, he chose to step down, saying it was the right thing to do.
Eto’s resignation serves as a stark reminder of how words matter—especially when people are already feeling the weight of economic hardship. In Japan, where humility and accountability are deeply valued, his misstep proved too big to ignore.
