Japan aims to drastically cut stockpiled rice prices to 2,000 yen ($14) per 5 kg and speed up getting rice onto shop shelves as consumers suffer from sky-high staple grain costs, the farm ministry said on Monday.

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.

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.