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Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto enters Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, to tender his resignation to the premier. Eto resigned as farm minister after coming under fire for his comments on rice deemed insensitive to consumers struggling with soaring prices of the staple food.

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Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto enters Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, to tender his resignation to the premier. Eto resigned as farm minister after coming under fire for his comments on rice deemed insensitive to consumers struggling with soaring prices of the staple food.

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Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto enters Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, to tender his resignation to the premier. Eto resigned as farm minister after coming under fire for his comments on rice deemed insensitive to consumers struggling with soaring prices of the staple food.

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Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto (C) enters Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, to tender his resignation to the premier. Eto resigned as farm minister after coming under fire for his comments on rice deemed insensitive to consumers struggling with soaring prices of the staple food.

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Farm minister hold press confab on rice comments

Agriculture minister Taku Eto holds a press conference at his ministry on May 20, 2025, to apologize for his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Farm minister hold press confab on rice comments

Agriculture minister Taku Eto holds a press conference at his ministry on May 20, 2025, to apologize for his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Prime Minister Ishiba meets media

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba tells the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 20, 2025, that he will retain agriculture minister Taku Eto despite his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Prime Minister Ishiba meets media

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba tells the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 20, 2025, that he will retain agriculture minister Taku Eto despite his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister's controversial comments on rice

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meets the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with agriculture minister Taku Eto over controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister's controversial comments on rice

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meets the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with agriculture minister Taku Eto over controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister meets media on rice comment

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. During a speech the previous day, Eto said he has not needed to buy rice because supporters give it to him, a remark expected to draw criticism from households hit by rice shortages and surging prices.

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Japan farm minister meets media on rice comment

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. During a speech the previous day, Eto said he has not needed to buy rice because supporters give it to him, a remark expected to draw criticism from households hit by rice shortages and surging prices.

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Ishihara retracts controversial comments

TOKYO, Japan - Environment Minister Nobuteru Ishihara answers a question at an upper house environment committee meeting in Tokyo on June 19, 2014. Ishihara retracted his controversial remarks suggesting payments to local authorities would ultimately settle the issue of where to store nuclear-contaminated soil from crisis-hit Fukushima Prefecture, after opposition parties demanded his resignation.

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Ishiba hints at restriction on press, soon retracts remarks

TOKYO, Japan - Shigeru Ishiba, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, speaks at a news conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo on Dec. 11, 2013. Ishiba hinted that media news gathering activities would be restricted under the controversial secrecy law if journalists report on sensitive information. Shortly after the conference he retracted the comments.

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Demonstration against secrecy bill

TOKYO, Japan - Opponents of a controversial bill to toughen penalties for leakers of state secrets demonstrate near the Diet building in Tokyo on Dec. 2, 2013, against the bill as well as comments made by Shigeru Ishiba, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which called demonstrations against the bill "acts of terrorism."

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Kyuma insists his comments were misrepresented by media

TOKYO, Japan - Outgoing Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma bows at the end of a news conference in the Defense Ministry on July 3 where he insisted his controversial comments concerning the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki were misrepresented by the media, while admitting he used some words carelessly and ended up hurting atomic-bomb survivors.

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Kyuma apologizes, retracts A-bombing comments

SHIMABARA, Japan - Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma offers his apology over his controversial remarks on the U.S. atomic bombings of Japan at a press conference in his constituency in Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, on July 1. He effectively retracted his comments made the previous day amid a barrage of criticism from some officials of Japan's ruling camp as well as A-bomb victims and opposition parties. ''I am sorry that my remarks gave an impression that A-bomb victims were made light of,'' Kyuma said.

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Kyuma apologizes, retracts A-bombing comments

SHIMABARA, Japan - Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma offers his apology over his controversial remarks on the U.S. atomic bombings of Japan at a press conference in his constituency in Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, on July 1. He effectively retracted his comments made the previous day amid a barrage of criticism from some officials of Japan's ruling camp as well as A-bomb victims and opposition parties. ''I am sorry that my remarks gave an impression that A-bomb victims were made light of,'' Kyuma said.

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Debate on nuke arms, deterrence should not be suppressed: Abe

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks in the Diet in reply to Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa on Nov. 8. Abe indicated that discussions on nuclear arms and deterrence should not be stifled, implicitly endorsing controversial calls by some of his Cabinet and party leadership for debate on whether Japan should go nuclear. The premier said that recent controversial remarks by Foreign Minister Taro Aso were ''comments concerning debate regarding nuclear arms, not statements that Japan should possess nuclear arms.''

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Mori meets the press

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who has come under fire for a string of controversial comments, smiles wryly when a reporter tells him not to be afraid of making a slip of the tongue at the opening of a press conference at his official residence in Tokyo on July 5. The news conference follows the inauguration of Mori's second cabinet July 4.

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Debate on nuke arms, deterrence should not be suppressed: Abe

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks in the Diet in reply to Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa on Nov. 8. Abe indicated that discussions on nuclear arms and deterrence should not be stifled, implicitly endorsing controversial calls by some of his Cabinet and party leadership for debate on whether Japan should go nuclear. The premier said that recent controversial remarks by Foreign Minister Taro Aso were ''comments concerning debate regarding nuclear arms, not statements that Japan should possess nuclear arms.'' (Kyodo)

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Kyuma apologizes, retracts A-bombing comments

SHIMABARA, Japan - Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma offers his apology over his controversial remarks on the U.S. atomic bombings of Japan at a press conference in his constituency in Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, on July 1. He effectively retracted his comments made the previous day amid a barrage of criticism from some officials of Japan's ruling camp as well as A-bomb victims and opposition parties. ''I am sorry that my remarks gave an impression that A-bomb victims were made light of,'' Kyuma said. (Kyodo)

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Kyuma apologizes, retracts A-bombing comments

SHIMABARA, Japan - Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma offers his apology over his controversial remarks on the U.S. atomic bombings of Japan at a press conference in his constituency in Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, on July 1. He effectively retracted his comments made the previous day amid a barrage of criticism from some officials of Japan's ruling camp as well as A-bomb victims and opposition parties. ''I am sorry that my remarks gave an impression that A-bomb victims were made light of,'' Kyuma said. (Kyodo)

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Kyuma insists his comments were misrepresented by media

TOKYO, Japan - Outgoing Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma bows at the end of a news conference in the Defense Ministry on July 3 where he insisted his controversial comments concerning the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki were misrepresented by the media, while admitting he used some words carelessly and ended up hurting atomic-bomb survivors. (Kyodo)

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Japan's top government spokesman Kato

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato attends a press conference in Tokyo on Feb. 5, 2021.Controversial remarks about women by the head of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee continued to draw criticism on Friday with Japanese ministers voicing concerns over the comments globally seen as sexist.

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Ishihara retracts controversial comments

TOKYO, Japan - Environment Minister Nobuteru Ishihara answers a question at an upper house environment committee meeting in Tokyo on June 19, 2014. Ishihara retracted his controversial remarks suggesting payments to local authorities would ultimately settle the issue of where to store nuclear-contaminated soil from crisis-hit Fukushima Prefecture, after opposition parties demanded his resignation. (Kyodo)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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protest against PM Andrej Babis, march

Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, on November 17, 2018, demanding Andrej Babis's resignation as prime minister mainly over the developments in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud. The demonstrating crowd, convoked by the Million Moments for Democracy NGO, almost filled the historical Old Town Square. A march went from Hradcany Square near Prague Castle to the Old Town Square through the Charles Bridge and National Street. The demonstration was preceded by a smaller meeting elsewhere in Prague, which included the Roma people's protest against Zeman and his controversial comments on the Roma minority as the people who shun work. (CTK Photo/Jana Hunterova)

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Defense Minister Inada inspects MSDF base

Defense Minister Tomomi Inada inspects a Maritime Self-Defense Force base in the western Japan city of Kure on July 3, 2017. The visit came after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffered a historic defeat in the Tokyo assembly election the previous day, apparently partly affected by controversial comments she had made in a stump speech about the Self-Defense Forces supporting one of the party's candidates. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Mori meets the press

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who has come under fire for a string of controversial comments, smiles wryly when a reporter tells him not to be afraid of making a slip of the tongue at the opening of a press conference at his official residence in Tokyo on July 5. The news conference follows the inauguration of Mori's second cabinet July 4.