Latest news with #TakuEtō
Independent Singapore
23-05-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Japanese minister quits in disgrace after boasting he gets free rice while prices soar for public
Screengrab from JAPAN: Taku Etō, Japan's agriculture minister, bowed out following a contentious declaration that triggered rage in a nation wrestling with spiralling food prices. According to the latest The Guardian report, Etō's disclosure that he doesn't buy rice because he obtains it as favours from followers and cliques has drawn exacting condemnation, stressing the delicate character of Japan's current rice predicament and bigger economic challenges. Controversial comment sparks backlash Taku Etō spurred public rage after divulging at a recent fundraiser that he 'never bought rice himself' because of the substantial gifts he gets, making him oblivious to everyday consumers, who are fraught amidst mounting costs. This comment came notwithstanding his previous spoken compassion for those hampered by swelling prices, even after the government released 300,000 tons of rice from backup hoards previously this year to control the surging crisis. Consumers confronted with rice prices that have doubled what they paid a year ago saw Etō's statement as insensitive. The reaction ended in demands for his resignation, which he offered at the prime minister's office, admitting the impropriety of his comments during a grave period for Japan's primary food. Political pressure mounts on Prime Minister Ishiba Etō's resignation complicates the political strain on Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who has struggled to regulate the escalating cost of living. The rice dilemma denotes the government's wide-ranging fiasco. Constituencies are increasingly upset, and with the upcoming July upper house elections, the latest poll showed that 87% are dissatisfied with the government's management of increasing rice prices and low cabinet approval rankings. Japan's circumstances have forced the government to be creative in its approach, including importing rice from South Korea for the first time in 25 years to calm people's discontent. Leaders from the opposition have condemned Etō's comments as 'out of touch and intolerable,' leading to a growing examination of Ishiba's government. The root of the rice shortage and its economic impact Japan's rice deficiency comes from manifold reasons, including meagre yields owing to the menacingly high temperature in 2023, panic buying triggered by a 2024 earthquake notice, and traders' alleged hoarding. These problems drove the regular retail price of rice to record highs, with a 5kg bag reaching ¥4,268 (S$29). Shinjirō Koizumi, a former environment minister, Ishiba's rival, and Etō's successor, has the frightening job of evening out rice provisions and renewing the public's confidence. As Japan confronts this food security issue, the government's capacity to tackle it successfully is vital to its political future and to alleviating the daily problems of consumers all over the country.
The Guardian
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Japanese minister resigns after saying he doesn't buy rice because he gets it free
Japan's agriculture minister has resigned after saying he never buys rice because he gets it free, a remark that drew public fury in a country facing soaring food prices. Taku Etō's resignation has added to pressure on the prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, whose failure to rein in soaring rice prices and address a wider cost of living crisis has angered voters ahead of upper house elections in July. 'Just now I submitted my resignation to prime minister Ishiba,' Etō told reporters at the prime minister's office. Etō had faced calls for his resignation after claiming that he never had to buy rice, relying instead on gifts from supporters. Etō had initially sympathised with the 'hardship' felt by consumers after the government released about 300,000 tons of rice from emergency stockpiles earlier this year in the hope of bringing down prices. But speaking at a fundraiser last weekend, Etō said he had 'never bought rice myself because my supporters donate so much to me that I can practically sell it'. Etō will reportedly be replaced by Shinjirō Koizumi, a former environment minister who ran unsuccessfully against Ishiba for the Liberal Democratic party (LDP) leadership last autumn. Etō's comment incensed consumers, who are having to pay nearly double for a bag of rice compared with a year ago, according to figures published in April. '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,' Etō added, according to the Kyodo news agency. 'Once again, I apologise to people for making extremely inappropriate comments as minister when they are struggling with surging rice prices.' Japan's rice shortfall has been blamed on several factors, including poor harvests due to hot weather in 2023 and panic-buying prompted by a 'megaquake' warning in 2024. Wholesalers and distributors are also thought to be hoarding rice stocks in anticipation of further shortages. Ishiba had earlier apologised for Etō's remarks. The ongoing rice crisis and rising household food and energy bills have dented the popularity of Ishiba's government, weeks before it faces voters in upper house elections that could determine his future as prime minister. In a recent Kyodo survey, 87% of respondents were dissatisfied with the government's handling of the rice prices, while approval ratings for Ishiba's cabinet have sunk to their lowest since he took office last October. The average price of rice sold at supermarkets in the week to 11 May reached a record ¥4,268 yen ($29) for 5kg, up from ¥4,214 the previous week and around double the price of a year ago. In April, Japan imported rice from South Korea for the first time in a quarter of a century in an attempt to address growing consumer anger. Junya Ogawa, secretary general of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic party, described Etō's comments as 'extremely inappropriate, out of touch and intolerable'. Etō conceded that his remarks had angered his wife. 'She told me that she does buy rice when the donated rice runs out,' he said. 'It's not like our family is living entirely off of rice given to us as gifts.'
Euronews
19-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Japan's farm minister apologises after free rice remarks spark outrage
Japan's Agriculture Minister Taku Etō has issued an apology after remarks he made about never needing to purchase rice due to gifts from supporters sparked widespread outrage among citizens struggling with soaring food prices. The controversy erupted after Japanese media reported Etō's comments, made at a political fundraising event on Sunday, during which he claimed he had "never had to buy rice" and even had enough to sell. Pressed by journalists on Monday, Etō attempted to clarify his statements, admitting he may have overstated the situation to entertain the audience. "I just got scolded by my wife over the phone," he added. "It's just the two of us so we generally have enough but she told me that when we run out, she actually does go out and buys rice." Footage by a public broadcaster showed Etō speaking at the event, where he joked about receiving plenty of rice from supporters, an apparent attempt at humour that has backfired amid growing public anxiety over the cost of food. The backlash highlights the sensitivity of food security issues, especially rice, in Japan's current political climate. The timing is particularly delicate for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which faces upper house elections in July. A recent Kyodo News poll showed support for Ishiba had plummeted to a record low of 27.4%, with nearly 90% of respondents expressing dissatisfaction over the government's handling of rising rice prices. The government began releasing rice from its emergency reserves in March in a bid to stabilise the market, but the measure has so far had minimal effect. A 60-year-old from Osaka stated that she avoids "eating rice because it's expensive," local media reported. "His comment is incredibly distasteful and lack common sense," she added. After briefly dipping, rice prices rose again last week. Retail figures showed a 5-kilogramme bag of supermarket rice averaged 4,268 yen (€26), an increase of 54 yen (€0.33) from a week ago and nearly double the price from the same time last year. The surge follows a season of extreme heat that damaged crops, compounded by increased demand from a resurgence in domestic tourism.
