Japan minister resigns over inappropriate rice comment

Japan’s Agriculture Minister Taku Eto has announced his resignation after a backlash over inappropriate comments about rice.

Eto came under fire earlier this week after saying he “never had to buy rice” because he received it from supporters. The remarks sparked public outrage amid a rice shortage and rising prices.

Rice is a staple food in Japan, and Eto’s comments have hit a nerve in a country where retail prices for rice have doubled since last year.

“I made a very inappropriate comment at a time when people are suffering from rising rice prices,” Eto told reporters after submitting his resignation.

The government has taken steps since March to curb rising prices, including releasing tons of rice from its emergency stockpile, but those efforts have so far failed to produce results.

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru’s approval ratings have also plummeted. His approval rating has fallen to 27.4 percent from 32.6 percent the previous month, according to a Kyodo News poll released Sunday. The same poll found that 87.1 percent of respondents said the government’s response to rising rice prices was inadequate.

Tags: prices, rice, Japan