Japan's government has admitted that an official photo of its new cabinet was manipulated to make its members look less unkempt after online speculation that it had been altered.
Photos taken by local media showed the new prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, and his defense minister with small pieces of white shirt visible under their suits.
But in the official photo released Thursday by the Prime Minister's Office, the mess was gone.
After widespread mockery online, a government spokesperson said Monday that “minor changes have been made” to the image.
Spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters the image was manipulated because group photos taken by the prime minister's office “will be preserved forever as souvenirs.”
He added that “minor editing is usually done on these photos.”
His comments follow an avalanche of mockery on social networks.
“This is more hideous than a group photo of a senior club on a trip to a hot spring. It's completely embarrassing,” one user wrote on X.
Another user said it was clear that cabinet members were wearing incorrectly sized suits.
Other users called the furniture – and their pants – “ill-fitting”, according to local media.
The photo was taken Thursday after the first meeting of Japan's new cabinet.
A few days earlier, Ishiba, 67, replaced outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as head of the country's ruling party.
He was officially named prime minister on Tuesday.
Ishiba has already announced his intention to hold early elections on October 27.
“It is important that the new administration be judged by the people as soon as possible,” he said at a news conference in Tokyo, according to Reuters.
The elections, expected to take place more than a year ahead of schedule, will determine which party controls the lower house of Parliament.
