The Japanese’s government on Monday admitted that it manipulated an official photo of the new cabinet to make members appear less unkempt.
The decision came after social media users mocked the original image, which showed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and defense minister Gen Nakatani with untidy appearances, including sagging trousers.
In the official photo released by Ishiba’s office, noticeable blemishes, such as a patch of white shirt under their suits, were removed.
However, the edited version did not evade public scrutiny, leading to a wave of online criticism about the “untidy cabinet.”
Top government par excellence Yoshimasa Hayashi addressed the issue and said, “Minor editing was made.” He explained that such adjustments are customary for preserving official group photos from significant events like cabinet reshuffles.
“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,” he said.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, third from right, and his cabinet ministers pose for a photo session at Ishiba’s residence in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP photo)

“This is more hideous than a group picture of some kind of a seniors’ club during a trip to a hot spring. It’s absolutely embarrassing,” one user commented on X.