Urgent Appointment of Koizumi Sparks Concerns Over Repeat Sexy Remarks Controversy

The huge blunder of saying “I have more than enough to sell”

“I’ve, of course, bought rice before,”

said former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (44) confidently.

On May 20, Koizumi participated in a Liberal Democratic Party subcommittee meeting that proposed loosening the upper limit for companies introducing meal subsidies as part of measures against rising prices. When asked by reporters about Agriculture Minister Taku Eto’s (64) gaffe, Koizumi responded with that remark.

On May 18, during a political fundraising party speech in Saga City, Eto said, “I have never bought rice. Supporters give me so much rice that I literally have more than I could sell in my home pantry.” This statement triggered fierce criticism.

A Google Maps search of Eto’s local Hyuga office now shows it labeled as “Rice Direct Sales Office (Taku Eto Hyuga Office).” Public anger is running extremely high.

At the Agriculture Committee meeting on the 20th, Eto attempted to deflect criticism with the unusual explanation that “More than enough to sell is a Miyazaki dialect expression meaning there is plenty,” but ultimately, he resigned on the 21st.

“By the evening of the 20th, five opposition parties had agreed to demand Eto’s dismissal as Agriculture Minister. They also agreed to consider submitting a no-confidence motion if the Ishiba administration did not comply. Although a no-confidence motion has no legal binding force, it inevitably influences parliamentary proceedings. The ruling LDP, holding a minority, lacks the strength to outright reject it. Prolonging this issue would surely affect the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election in June and the House of Councillors election in July, so the de facto dismissal was inevitable,” said a political reporter from a national newspaper.

When Shinjiro Koizumi’s name was mentioned as Eto’s successor, voices spread in Nagatacho saying, “Surprisingly, it might work out well.”

“Koizumi has the favor of Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama (80), who effectively controls the administration, so his closeness to the political center is a strength. He also gets along well with Deputy Agriculture and Forestry Minister Hiroyoshi Sasagawa (58), as they had a good working relationship during Koizumi’s time as Environment Minister (‘Minister Koizumi and Deputy Sasagawa’). If Koizumi sticks to the scripted responses prepared by the agriculture bureaucrats, he should get through without major issues. However, Koizumi was appointed chair of the Agriculture and Forestry Division in 2015 and has some experience with agricultural policy, so he might try to put his own spin on things. If he tries to assert his individuality, it might backfire like it did during his time as Environment Minister,” said a veteran LDP secretary.

Important mission in the House of Councillors election

In 2019, during his time as Environment Minister, Koizumi famously said at a meeting held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, “Efforts to tackle major issues like climate change should be fun, cool, and sexy,” which drew ridicule from around the world. While a repeat of the sexy remarks controversy is unlikely, the reality he faces now is harsh.

The price of a 5-kilogram bag of rice at supermarkets currently remains high, around 4,500 yen. Although returning to the 2,000-yen range is unrealistic, lowering it to the 3,000-yen range might be possible. Since results will be measured by price figures, the new agriculture minister faces a tough reality.

“During his tenure as chair of the Agriculture and Forestry Division, Koizumi had Norikazu Suzuki, a former Ministry of Agriculture official and current Reconstruction Vice Minister (43), as his right-hand man, and he advocated agricultural reforms, engaging in fierce debates with the agriculture faction’s Eto. Revealing that pesticides and fertilizers were sold more expensively than at home improvement centers was a hit, but ultimately, he was entangled with the agriculture faction and bureaucrats. Although he enthusiastically championed reform, rice prices have stayed high, and the decline in the farming population remains unresolved. It’s hard to say the reforms were successful,” said the aforementioned political reporter.

Koizumi is close to Prime Minister Ishiba and was expected to be a key minister in the Ishiba Cabinet formed in October 2024. However, after the crushing defeat in the recent general election, which he oversaw as the election committee chairman, he took responsibility and spent time on a break without a role. Then, with Eto’s sudden resignation, Koizumi was called up as a pinch hitter.

In emergencies like this, there is no time for background checks, so someone with prior cabinet experience is preferred. Among those not currently holding major government or party positions but fairly knowledgeable about agricultural policy, Koizumi naturally emerged as the choice.

Political journalist Koichi Kadotani speculates on the reasoning behind this appointment:

“By bringing him into the Cabinet, he will be forced to campaign nationwide as a prominent minister in the upcoming House of Councillors election. Depending on the election results, if a leadership election takes place, being in the Cabinet makes it harder for him to run.”

Koizumi reportedly felt pressured by the rise of former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi (known as Kobahawk) and was looking for an opportunity to return to the public stage.

At a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office on the 21st, Koizumi said, “I want to focus and work with the mindset of being the ‘Minister in charge of rice.’” Lowering rice prices is an urgent issue, but given the situation so far, it is clear that it won’t be easy. When asked by reporters, “How many kilograms of rice do you usually buy?” the new minister replied, “I also buy pre-packaged cooked rice.” The livelihoods of ordinary people now rest on his ability to handle the job.