When Japan's farm minister declared that he never had to buy rice because his supporters give him "plenty" of it as gifts, he hoped to draw laughs. Instead Taku Eto drew outrage - and enough of it to force him to resign.

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.

Japan's agriculture minister resigned Wednesday because of political fallout over recent comments that he “never had to buy rice” because he got it from supporters as gifts. The resignation comes as the public struggles with record-high prices of the country's traditional staple food.