Overview

• Taku Eto resigned as agriculture minister after saying he never buys rice, citing gifts from supporters, a comment widely criticized as insensitive.
• The resignation follows public outrage over soaring rice prices, which have doubled in the past year, burdening Japanese households.
• Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba accepted Eto’s resignation, the first from his cabinet, and plans to appoint former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi as his successor.
• The government has released rice from emergency stockpiles since March to stabilize prices, but the measures have shown limited effectiveness.
• The incident adds pressure on Ishiba's minority government ahead of critical upper-house elections in July, with opposition parties threatening no-confidence motions.