Japan's farm minister said he has never had to buy rice. That cost him his job

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

49% : Taku's resignation comes at a time when Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government has been grappling with low approval ratings ahead of a pivotal Upper House election this summer and ongoing tariff negotiations with the U.S. NHK World reported that former Environment Minister Koizumi Shinjiro will succeed Eto. Ishiba's cabinet approval rating dropped to an all-time low of 27.4%, as voters grow increasingly discontent with the administration's failure to address soaring rice prices and rejection of consumption tax cuts in response to rising inflation, according to a Kyodo News poll released Sunday.

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