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.

TOKYO -- Japan's agriculture minister resigned Wednesday over his inappropriate remark about buying rice as the public struggles with record high prices of the country's traditional staple food. At a party seminar Sunday in Saga prefecture, Taku Eto said he “never had to buy rice” because his supporters always give him the grain as gifts.

I made an extremely inappropriate remark at a time when consumers are struggling with soaring rice prices,” Taku Eto said.