In a stunning political fallout that underscores the growing tension over Japan’s deepening food supply challenges, Agriculture Minister Taku Eto tendered his resignation Tuesday following a public outcry over a tone-deaf remark amid the country’s worst rice shortage in recent years.
Eto, speaking last week during a press briefing intended to address surging food prices and diminishing rice stocks, sparked outrage after casually stating, “Frankly, my supporters give me quite a lot of rice. I’ve never had to buy it.”
The comment, seen as emblematic of political elitism and disconnect from everyday struggles, quickly ignited criticism from across the political spectrum and the public alike. His departure now throws Japan’s fragile agricultural reform agenda into uncertainty.
A Crisis Rooted in Policy and Politics
The rice shortage, which has triggered price hikes in markets nationwide and stirred deep anxiety in rural and urban households alike, is being blamed on outdated agricultural policies that limit land access for new farmers. These land-use restrictions, some dating back over 50 years, have left tens of thousands of hectares of fertile land unused.
Successive governments have struggled to dismantle the powerful protections for Japan’s aging cohort of small-scale farmers. Reform proposals — including land-sharing initiatives and incentives for young agripreneurs — have repeatedly stalled in the face of lobbying pressure and political inertia.
Eto, a veteran Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker from a farming region in Miyazaki Prefecture, was expected to be the figure to break that gridlock. Instead, he now exits under a cloud of controversy.
The Remark That Sparked a Political Firestorm
Eto’s comment — “my supporters give me rice” — was made in response to a reporter’s question about how the government planned to respond to price spikes and dwindling supply in urban supermarkets.
Critics immediately seized on the remark as evidence of the ruling class’s detachment from the struggles of working families.
“He basically told people suffering from high prices that he’s fed for free. That’s not just insensitive — it’s offensive,” said Midori Arakawa, a food policy expert at Tokyo University. “This wasn’t just a political gaffe. It was a revelation.”
Social media in Japan exploded with indignation. Memes depicting Eto enjoying lavish rice meals while others queued for overpriced bags of short-grain went viral on platforms like X and Instagram. One post simply read: “When your rice comes in campaign envelopes.”
Public Anger Meets Political Fallout
Public sentiment has been increasingly volatile as food security — once taken for granted — becomes a central political issue. Climate pressures, rising fertilizer costs, and rural depopulation have all contributed to Japan’s shrinking domestic food production.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, already under pressure from inflation concerns and low approval ratings, accepted Eto’s resignation Tuesday morning.
In a brief statement, Kishida acknowledged the seriousness of the situation: “Minister Eto’s comments were inappropriate and do not reflect the empathy or responsibility that our government must show in times of difficulty. We will act swiftly to restore trust and stabilize the food supply.”
Opposition leaders have called for a full audit of Japan’s agricultural land use policy and accused the government of “neglecting rural innovation for decades.”
A Leadership Vacuum in a Critical Moment
Eto’s resignation leaves a gaping hole in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) at a time when reform momentum had just begun to build.
He had recently introduced a pilot program aimed at leasing idle land to urban farming cooperatives and had opened discussions on easing property rights for non-inheriting family members — potentially unlocking more farmland for cultivation.
“With Eto gone, there’s a real risk these initiatives stall,” said Takeshi Mori, an agricultural economist with the Japan Policy Forum. “We needed a reformer. Now, we’re left with a vacuum — and no rice.”
What Happens Next?
As of Tuesday evening, Deputy Minister Yumiko Naruse is expected to serve as acting minister until a permanent replacement is named later this week. Naruse, known for her sharp administrative skills and ties to food technology innovation, could provide a stabilizing presence.
However, insiders say a reshuffle within the LDP may be inevitable as Kishida’s leadership is questioned both within the party and by the public.
Meanwhile, consumer groups are planning demonstrations outside the MAFF offices in Tokyo this weekend, demanding immediate reforms to land policy and emergency subsidies to curb rice prices.
Conclusion: A Symbolic Fall Amid Structural Failures
Taku Eto’s fall from grace marks more than the end of a political tenure — it’s a symbolic breaking point in a long-simmering national crisis. Japan’s reverence for rice is woven deeply into its identity. To fail in protecting that staple — and to appear dismissive in the process — is to breach a sacred trust with the public.
As Japan stares down climate shifts, demographic change, and policy paralysis, the question now isn’t just “who will lead agriculture?” but “what kind of nation will Japan be when its rice bowls run dry?”