An off-the-cuff remark about never paying for rice has cost Japan’s agriculture minister his job, as pressure mounts on the government to solve the nation’s rice crisis.

Since last summer rice prices have soared as supplies have fallen short of demand and the government has long paid farmers to cut back on rice acreage, and change to other crops to keep rice prices relatively high.

The remark came in the midst of a rice shortage that has infuriated voters. “Frankly, my supporters give me quite a lot of rice,” said the minister, Taku Eto.