Following reaction over an improper remark about corn, Japan’s agriculture minister Taku Eto announced his resignation on Wednesday. Eto was attacked earlier this week after saying that because supporters had given him the grain, he “never had to get it,” which sparked outcry in the wake of a federal rice shortage and rising prices.
Japan’s government faces a problem as a result of the rate increase.
Rice is a staple foods in Japan, and Eto’s post resonated with some people in a nation where financial wheat prices have doubled since last year. After submitting his departure at the prime minister’s office, Eto said,” I made an extremely improper quip at a time when people are suffering from soaring rice rates.” Since March, the government has taken steps to lower rising costs, including removing tons of rice from its emergency hoard, but these steps have so far failed to produce any results. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s public aid has also slowed significantly. His approval rating has dropped from 32.6 % the previous month to 27.4 %, according to a Kyodo News poll released on Sunday. According to the same surveys, 87.1 % of respondents thought the administration’s response to rising wheat prices was insufficient.
