Japanese government admits to editing ‘sloppy’ cabinet photo

Japan’s government confirmed Monday, Oct. 7, that it made minor edits to an official photo of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s newly announced cabinet after online criticism of the group’s appearance. The alterations, which were made to address visible shirt creases and untidy suits, sparked a wave of mockery on social media.

Eagle-eyed users were quick to point out discrepancies between the unedited images released by local media and the final version posted on the prime minister’s official website.

One user commented that the photo looked more like “a seniors’ club on a trip to a hot spring,” while others humorously suggested further edits to improve the cabinet’s appearance.

When asked about the edits, government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed that minor retouching had been done.

“Group photos during official events of the prime minister’s office, such as the cabinet reshuffle, will be preserved forever as memorabilia, so minor editing is customarily performed on these photos,” Hayashi said.

The controversy comes as Ishiba’s cabinet has faced additional scrutiny for its gender imbalance, with only two women in minor roles among the 19 members. Ishiba, a former defense minister, was elected prime minister last week by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

The edits to the cabinet photo have drawn comparisons to similar controversies in other countries, including Britain, where a doctored portrait of the Princess of Wales caused public debate earlier this year.

Despite the backlash, some social media users were more forgiving, calling the edits minor and urging the public to move on.