How a joke about rice cost a Japan cabinet minister his job

Japan's farm minister Taku Eto stepped down after causing outrage with a joke about receiving rice as gifts, highlighting the country's rising rice prices amid a cost-of-living crisis. Agricultural economist Kunio Nishikawa attributes the price surge to government miscalculations and increased demand from factors like tourism and dining out post-pandemic. The shortage has led Japan to import rice, including from South Korea, with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba considering more imports to address the crisis as consumers like Memori Higuchi express loyalty to Japanese-grown produce.