Japan finance chief quits over alleged drunkenness

[kpete]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Japan finance chief quits over alleged drunkenness

Japanese finance minister's resignation over drinking scandal shakes government

MARI YAMAGUCHI
AP News

Feb 17, 2009 07:55 EST

Japan's finance minister abruptly resigned Tuesday over allegations he made a drunken appearance at a G-7 news conference, shaking Prime Minister Taro Aso's already deeply unpopular government.

The resignation was a huge embarrassment for Aso — who has been in office only since late September — and a blow to Japan's efforts to deal with an economy that shrank at its fastest rate in 35 years in the fourth quarter and shows no signs of reversing course anytime soon.

Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa, who has denied being drunk, offered his resignation late Tuesday after earlier in the day saying he would stay on until after parliament approves the budget for the fiscal year, probably in late April.

"I have resigned," said Nakagawa, one of the most prominent members of Aso's Cabinet. "I decided that it would be better for the country if I quit."

Read more: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/02/japan_finance_chief_quits_over_alleged_drunkenness.php

[marylanddem]

1. Wow - you have so many hearts!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. The sugar crash won't be pretty.

[AB_Positive]

2. It's getting really really bad in Japan

I'm suddenly not as jealous about my friends who work over there...

Aso has done terribly in his early run as PM... and really nobody since Koizumi has had a shot at being successful. Aso is their third PM since him in, what, two years?

Almost as bad as my motherland of Canada. I was shocked they didn't dissolve again in January.

[happygoluckytoyou]

4. at least enough honor to quit ! ! ! in america he'd get promoted ! ! !

[RamboLiberal]

5. How many times did Bush look at least 2 sheets?

Either Bush had already burned out some of his brain cells or he was drinking in the WH and I'd bet the MSM covered it up.