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21.05.2025

21.05.2025 โ€” Day Shinjiro Koizumi Inherits Rice Price Mandate

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This page is an archive of main headlines from Japan for 21.05.2025.

It displays 35 headlines from many sources chronologically, as they appeared throughout the day, accompanied by AI overviews that were written in real time.

21.05.2025 โ‡ข Day Shinjiro Koizumi Inherits Rice Price Mandate
โŒจAgriculture Minister Taku Eto resigned following his controversial comments about receiving free rice amid soaring consumer prices. Prime Minister Ishiba, whose administration began in October 2024, quickly appointed Shinjiro Koizumi as the new minister with former Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga reportedly influencing this decision.

By mid-morning, Ishiba promised to achieve rice prices of 3000 yen per 5kg, accepting responsibility if prices don't decrease. Koizumi immediately suspended reserve rice bidding processes, declaring he would "focus on rice" and release unlimited quantities from government stockpiles.

This political crisis unfolded against a backdrop of economic troubles, with Japanese bond yields soaring due to faltering investor demand. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts with South Korea continued as Japan announced fast-track entry for South Korean visitors to commemorate their 60th anniversary of normalized relations. Trump's automotive tariffs have begun affecting export prices while Nvidia's CEO criticized US export controls on AI chips.
21.05.2025
00:18
BREAKING NEWS: Japan PM to appoint Shinjiro Koizumi as farm minister: gov't source TOKYO - Farm minister Taku Eto resigned on Wednesday after experiencing a backlash over a controversial admission that he does not buy rice because he receives so much of it from supporters, with the comments hitting a nerve as the Japanese public struggles with soaring prices.
00:18

01:43โ‡ขRice Gaffe Topples Agriculture Minister

โŒจThe newspapers report on Agriculture Minister Taku Eto's resignation following his controversial comments about receiving so much gifted rice from supporters that he never buys it (Kyodo News English, The Japan Times, Nikkei Shimbun, Yahoo News Japan). Prime Minister Ishiba, who accepted responsibility for the scandal, will appoint Shinjiro Koizumi as the new agriculture minister. The comments sparked public outrage as Japanese consumers struggle with soaring prices. This represents the first ministerial resignation in Ishiba's administration, which began in October 2024.
02:56
Farm minister Taku Eto resigned Wednesday after facing backlash over a declaration that he does not buy rice due to being gifted so much by supporters, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba whose popularity has already been shaken by cost-of-living issues, especially the soaring price of rice.
02:56
03:05
03:13
็Ÿณ็ ด่Œ‚้ฆ–็›ธใฏๆฑŸ่—คๆ‹“่พฒ็›ธใ‚’็ถšๆŠ•ใ•ใ›ใ‚‹่€ƒใˆใ‚’่กจๆ˜Žใ—ใฆใ‚ใšใ‹1ๆ—ฅใงไบ‹ๅฎŸไธŠใฎๆ›ด่ฟญใธใจๆ–น้‡ๆ’คๅ›žใซ่ฟฝใ„่พผใพใ‚ŒใŸใ€‚้‡Žๅ…š5ๅ…šใŒๆ›ด่ฟญ่ฆๆฑ‚ใงไธ€่‡ดใ—ใ€ไบคไปฃใ•ใ›ใชใ‘ใ‚Œใฐๆณ•ๆกˆๆˆ็ซ‹ใธใฎๅ”ๅŠ›ใŒๅพ—ใ‚‰ใ‚Œใชใ„ใจๅˆคๆ–ญใ—ใŸใ€‚ๆ”ฟๅบœใƒปไธŽๅ…šใฏๅฑๆฉŸ็ฎก็†ใฎใŸใ‚่ฟ…้€Ÿใซ่ชฟๆ•ดใงใใ‚‹ไฝ“ๅˆถใซใชใใ€ๅฏพๅฟœใŒ้…ใ‚ŒใŸใ€‚ ใ€้–ข้€ฃ่จ˜ไบ‹ใ€‘ ้ฆ–็›ธใฏ20ๆ—ฅๅคœใ€้ฆ–็›ธๅ…ฌ้‚ธใง้’ๆœจไธ€ๅฝฆๅฎ˜ๆˆฟๅ‰ฏ้•ทๅฎ˜ใ‚„้ฆ–็›ธ็ง˜ๆ›ธๅฎ˜ใจๆฑŸ่—คๆฐใฎๅ‡ฆ้‡ใซใคใ„ใฆๅ”่ญฐใ—ใŸใ€‚ใ“ใฎใจใๆฑŸ่—คๆฐใ‚’็ถšๆŠ•ใ•ใ›ใ‚‹ใฎใฏใ€ŒๅŽณใ—ใ„ใ ใ‚ใ†โ€ฆ
03:13
03:13
04:05
ๅŒๆ€งใ‚ซใƒƒใƒ—ใƒซใฎ็ตๅฉšใ‚’ๅฎŸ็พใ—ใชใ„ๅ›ฝใฎโ€œๆณจ่ฆ–โ€็™บ่จ€ใซใ€Œๅฟƒใ‚’ใˆใใ‚‰ใ‚Œใ‚‹ใ€ใ€‚ๅŽŸๅ‘ŠใŒ1ๆ—ฅใ‚‚ๆ—ฉใ„็ตๅฉšๅนณ็ญ‰ใ‚’่จดใˆใ‚‹
04:05

04:07โ‡ขRice Scandal Fallout Rattles Ishiba Administration

โŒจThe newspapers report on the fallout from Agriculture Minister Taku Eto's resignation, with coverage noting the delayed decision represents a blow to Prime Minister Ishiba's administration (Yahoo News Japan, Nikkei Shimbun). In social issues, same-sex marriage equality continues to be debated, with plaintiffs expressing distress over the government's inaction on recognizing same-sex unions (Huffington Post Japan). Diplomatic relations with South Korea show improvement with Japan implementing fast-track immigration lanes at two airports to mark the 60th anniversary of normalized ties (Kyodo News English). Tech coverage includes Nvidia's CEO criticizing US export controls on AI chips while acknowledging Huawei's rapid innovation (Nikkei Asia).
05:46
07:02
Farm minister Taku Eto resigned Wednesday after facing a backlash over a remark that struck a nerve with the public suffering from soaring rice prices, dealing a blow to the already unpopular Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ahead of a parliamentary election.
07:02

07:03โ‡ขRice Scandal Topples Agriculture Minister

โŒจThe newspapers report on Agriculture Minister Taku Eto's resignation over controversial comments about receiving gifted rice amid soaring prices (Kyodo News English, The Japan Times, Yahoo News Japan, Nikkei Shimbun). This represents a significant blow to Prime Minister Ishiba's already unpopular administration ahead of parliamentary elections. Meanwhile, Japanese bond markets are experiencing turbulence as yields soar due to faltering investor demand amid fiscal concerns (Nikkei Asia). The delayed decision to remove Eto is being criticized as showing poor coordination within the government (Nikkei Shimbun).

10:34โ‡ขKoizumi Takes Agriculture Reins Amid Rice Price Promises

โŒจThe newspapers report on a cabinet reshuffle following Agriculture Minister Taku Eto's resignation over rice comments. Shinjiro Koizumi takes over as the new Agriculture Minister, with former Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga reportedly influencing this appointment (The Japan Times, Yahoo News Japan). Prime Minister Ishiba has promised to achieve rice prices of 3000 yen per 5kg, accepting responsibility if prices don't decrease (Nikkei Shimbun). A Huffington Post headline suggests controversy over neutrality in a conflict situation, describing some stance as "complicity in massacre rather than neutrality."
12:07
Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday sacked farm minister Taku Eto over a controversial remark that sparked public outrage amid soaring rice prices, dealing a fresh blow to the already unpopular minority government leader ahead of a parliamentary election.
12:07

13:34โ‡ขIshiba Sacks Agriculture Minister Over Rice Gaffe

โŒจThe newspapers report on the dismissal of Agriculture Minister Taku Eto over controversial rice gift comments amid soaring prices, with Prime Minister Ishiba taking direct action after public outrage (Kyodo News English, Nikkei Shimbun). Shinjiro Koizumi has been appointed as the new Agriculture Minister, stating he wants to "focus on rice" issues (Yahoo News Japan, The Japan Times). Ishiba has directed discretionary contracts for reserve rice supplies and promised to lower prices to the 3000 yen range per 5kg (Nikkei Shimbun), as his unpopular minority government faces pressure ahead of parliamentary elections.
15:48
19:19
ใ€NQNใƒ‹ใƒฅใƒผใƒจใƒผใ‚ฏ=ๆจชๅ†…็†ๆตใ€‘21ๆ—ฅใฎ็ฑณๆ ชๅผๅธ‚ๅ ดใงใƒ€ใ‚ฆๅทฅๆฅญๆ ช30็จฎๅนณๅ‡ใฏ็ถš่ฝใ—ใฆๅง‹ใพใ‚Šใ€ๅˆๅ‰9ๆ™‚35ๅˆ†็พๅœจใฏๅ‰ๆ—ฅๆฏ”362ใƒ‰ใƒซ67ใ‚ปใƒณใƒˆๅฎ‰ใฎ4ไธ‡2314ใƒ‰ใƒซ57ใ‚ปใƒณใƒˆใงๆŽจ็งปใ—ใฆใ„ใ‚‹ใ€‚็ฑณ้•ทๆœŸ้‡‘ๅˆฉใฎไธŠๆ˜‡ใŒๆ ชๅผใฎ็›ธๅฏพ็š„ใชๅ‰ฒ้ซ˜ๆ„ŸใซใคใชใŒใ‚Šใ€ๅซŒๆฐ—ใ•ใ‚Œใฆใ„ใ‚‹ใ€‚21ๆ—ฅใฎ็ฑณ20ๅนดๅ›ฝๅ‚ตๅ…ฅๆœญใŒไธ่ชฟใ ใฃใŸใจใฎๅ ฑ้“ใ‚’ใใฃใ‹ใ‘ใซ้‡‘ๅˆฉไธŠๆ˜‡ใŒๅŠ ้€Ÿใ—ใ€ใƒ€ใ‚ฆๅนณๅ‡ใฏไธ€ๆ™‚800ใƒ‰ใƒซ่ถ…ๅฎ‰ใพใงไธ‹่ฝใ™ใ‚‹ๅ ด้ขใ‚‚ใ‚ใ‚‹ใ€‚ 21ๆ—ฅใฎ็ฑณๅ‚ตๅˆธๅธ‚ๅ ดใง้•ทโ€ฆ
19:19

20:26โ‡ขKoizumi Unleashes Unlimited Rice Reserves

โŒจThe newspapers report on new developments in the rice crisis, with new Agriculture Minister Koizumi announcing unlimited release of rice reserves to address price increases (Yahoo News Japan). Economic reporting shows long-term interest rates rising across US, Europe and Japan amid inflation concerns and weak US treasury auctions (Nikkei Shimbun). Trump's tariffs on Japanese vehicles are taking effect, with export prices falling 15% in April as manufacturers appear to be absorbing these costs rather than passing them to consumers (Nikkei Asia).
21:53