Japan’s government has acknowledged altering an official photo of the new cabinet members to improve their appearance after public ridicule over their unkempt attire. The admission came following widespread mockery on social media of several ministers, whose sagging trousers and visible white shirts caused an online stir.

Local media photos showed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani with visible shirt patches beneath their morning suits, details that were conspicuously absent in the official cabinet photo later released by Ishiba’s office.

The altered photo, however, was not released quickly enough to avoid a barrage of criticism. Social media users were quick to comment on the cabinet’s appearance, with one user on X (formerly Twitter) writing, “This is more hideous than a group picture of some kind of a seniors’ club during a trip to a hot spring. It’s utterly embarrassing.”

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Government response

Addressing the issue on Monday, top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed the photo manipulation but downplayed the significance. “Minor editing was made,” Hayashi told reporters, seeking to shift attention away from the criticism. He added, “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’s remarks suggested that the touch-ups were a routine practice for official government photos intended to serve as lasting records. Nonetheless, the controversy sparked a discussion over the image-consciousness of Japan’s leadership.

Not the first instance of photo manipulation

Japan’s admission follows similar instances of high-profile photo edits by public divs. In March, Britain’s Princess of Wales, Catherine, publicly apologized after revealing she had edited a photograph of herself with her children that had been released by the palace. The episode highlighted the increasing scrutiny over public divs’ appearances and the growing prevalence of photo manipulation in official imagery.

As Japan’s government faces criticism for the altered photo, the incident has drawn attention to the balance between preserving formality and authenticity in public representation.