Last week, Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba made headlines for sleeping during an extraordinary parliamentary session. This week, it was his dining manners that caused a stir among Japanese netizens. A video posted on Monday, that garnered more than 22 million views before being taken down, showed the PM scoffing down a rice ball in one go, leaving his mouth open as he chewed. Unsurprisingly, the social media site X was soon flooded with comments, with one user stating that, “Even a hippopotamus would eat a little more neatly.” Another commented, “I don’t really like to complain about how other people eat, but this was 10 times messier than I’d imagined.”

 
It’s not the first time Ishiba has been criticized for his dining manners. A YouTube clip from 2020, which shows him eating alongside comedian Nana Takamtasu, went viral on X earlier this month. People weren’t impressed with the fact that he ate while resting his elbows on the table and that he held his chopsticks with both hands to pick up some fish. This is the kind of scrutiny that comes with being Japanese prime minister.  

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Ishiba Criticized for Behavior at APEC Summit  

His behavior in Peru at the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) also caused quite a stir with Japanese Netizens. He was criticized for displaying bad manners as he failed to stand up to greet leaders such as Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim. Footage showed him checking his phone as they approached. As he noticed them, he shook their hands, but remained seated. Another clip from the summit that seemed to annoy people was of Ishiba sitting with his arms crossed while watching a dance at the welcome ceremony. He was also late for the APEC group photo session after being delayed in a traffic jam on his way back from visiting the grave of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori. 

Some online feel there is an agenda against the prime minister, with people cherry–picking clips to make him look bad.  

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