Ishiba to dismiss agriculture minister Eto

Eto, 64, is likely to become the first cabinet minister to be dismissed since Ishiba took office in October last year.

In a speech in the southwestern Japan city of Saga on Sunday, Eto said that he never bought rice as he receives so much of the staple from his supporters that he could sell it. This drew criticism from both ruling and opposition lawmakers.

On Monday, Ishiba reprimanded Eto over the remarks, while expressing his intention to keep the agriculture minister in his post.

On Tuesday, however, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and four other opposition parties agreed to demand the dismissal or resignation of Eto and consider submitting a no-confidence motion against him.

Ishiba changed his mind, given that a no-confidence motion, if introduced, could pass as he leads a minority government, people familiar with the matter said.

He also apparently wants to limit the impact of Eto's remarks about rice, which is of great interest to the public, on an election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament, this summer.

Eto, who was elected eight times to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, became agriculture minister in November 2024.

Among other ministers in the Ishiba cabinet, Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki was earlier this year reprimanded by the prime minister for distributing mooncakes to ministry staff.

Ishiba himself has been criticised for distributing gift certificates worth 100,000 yen per person during a meeting with new lawmakers of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party at the prime minister's official residence.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]

Proto by Reuters