Japan PM hits out at farm minister over free rice claim

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday reprimanded the farm minister for claiming he never buys rice because he gets it free, provoking the ire of consumers facing soaring prices.

Japan’s government has released some of its emergency stockpile of the grain in recent months, with agriculture minister Taku Eto weeks ago lamenting the “hardship” experienced by consumers.

But addressing a gathering over the weekend, Eto said he has “never bought rice myself because my supporters donate so much to me that I can practically sell”.

Eto’s comment hit a nerve in a nation where the price of the much-loved grain has nearly doubled year-on-year, according to figures published in April.

The prime minister described the remarks as “extremely unfortunate”.

“The agriculture minister’s job now is to provide solutions to the soaring rice prices. I expect him to offer solutions,” Ishiba told journalists as he arrived at his office.

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Eto on Monday explained that he had exaggerated, incurring the wrath of his wife.

“She told me that she does go buy rice when a stockpile of donated rice runs out,” Eto said, adding “it’s not like our family is living entirely off of rice gifted to us”.

On Tuesday, he said he had spoken to Ishiba and that he would continue as farm minister.

“The prime minister gave me very tough words but...also gave me warm words and told me to show the results of what I started,” Eto said.

“I am the one who decided the releases of the reserved rice. With your permission, I would like to continue until I can fulfil my responsibility.”

Factors behind Japan’s rice shortfall include poor harvests due to hot weather in 2023 and panic-buying prompted by a “megaquake” warning last year.

The agriculture minister’s gaffe was criticised as “extremely inappropriate, out of touch and intolerable” by Junya Ogawa, secretary-general of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

“If not properly dealt with, his remarks are serious enough to raise the question of whether he should step down,” local media including public broadcaster NHK quoted him as saying. AFP