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.

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba plans to sack farm minister Taku Eto following remarks the minister made about rice, Kyodo News reported on Tuesday, citing multiple sources. Eto apologised on Monday after saying he had "never had to buy rice" thanks to gifts from supporters,

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.