Overview

• Taku Eto resigned as Japan's agriculture minister following backlash from his remark about receiving rice as gifts, which angered the public during a rice price crisis.
• Eto apologized for his comment, acknowledging his failure to understand the struggles of consumers facing record-high rice costs.
• Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba accepted Eto's resignation, signaling a swift response to public discontent ahead of upcoming elections.
• Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is expected to replace Eto, according to media reports, as the government continues efforts to address surging rice prices.
• Rice prices in Japan have doubled over the past year, becoming a focal point of voter dissatisfaction and intensifying scrutiny of government policies.