Ishiba to dismiss Agriculture Minister Taku Eto
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has decided to dismiss agriculture minister Taku Eto over his recent gaffe regarding rice, according to people familiar with the matter.
Eto, 64, is likely to become the first cabinet minister to be dismissed since Ishiba took office in October last year.
During a speech in Saga on Sunday, Eto said that he never bought rice as he receives so much of the staple from his supporters that he could sell it. This drew criticism from both ruling and opposition lawmakers.
On Monday, Ishiba reprimanded Eto over the remarks, while expressing his intention to keep the agriculture minister in his post.
On Tuesday, however, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and four other opposition parties agreed to demand the dismissal or resignation of Eto and consider submitting a no-confidence motion against him.
Ishiba changed his mind, given that a no-confidence motion, if introduced, could pass as he leads a minority government, people familiar with the matter said.
He also apparently wants to limit the impact of Eto's remarks about rice — which has been of great interest to the public — before an election for the House of Councillors, Japan's upper chamber of parliament, which takes place this summer.
Eto, who was elected eight times to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, became agriculture minister in November 2024.
Among other ministers in the Ishiba cabinet, Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki was reprimanded earlier this year by the prime minister for distributing mooncakes to ministry staff.
Ishiba himself has been criticized for distributing gift certificates worth ¥100,000 per person during a meeting with new lawmakers of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party at the prime minister's official residence.
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