Photo/Illutration Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, speaks at a news conference in the Diet. (Takeshi Iwashita)

Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, apologized for equating stockpiled rice the government is distributing to retailers to “livestock feed.”

His comment to the May 28 session of the Lower House Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Committee sparked a furious reaction on social media.

Touching upon the efforts by Shinjiro Koizumi, the farm minister, to deliver stockpiled rice to retailers more quickly, Tamaki said, “(The rice) will be used as livestock feed in a year’s time.”

Late on May 30, Tamaki posted to his X account, “I am deeply reflecting that the comment caused major displeasure to those waiting for that rice.”

Adding that he thought he had understood how tough soaring consumer prices had made life for the general public, Tamaki accepted that his comment was way out of line.

Immediately after he made the remark at the Lower House committee, Tamaki came under fire in social media. He was accused of being insensitive and belittling those seeking to purchase the stockpiled rice at cheaper prices.

Tamaki said earlier that he often used the term “feed rice” when he spoke in the Diet.

Kazuya Shinba, the DPP secretary-general, rushed to defend his party boss by saying committee members would have raised stronger criticism if they felt there was something wrong with the comment.

Shinba later apologized when reporters asked him if the remark amounted to a slap in the face to consumers.

After the committee session, Koizumi told reporters he thought the remark was out of bounds, especially since the government was trying to alleviate the hardship of rising rice prices.

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