Japan’s Funny Wailer cries off
A JAPANESE politician, filmed howling like a toddler while trying to explain his profligate use of public funds, quit his post on Friday as he sank deeper into a corruption scandal.
Assemblyman Ryutaro Nonomura became an internet sensation last week when he was filmed wailing and banging his fists on a desk as tears streamed down his face at a press conference.
The regional assembly in Hyogo, western Japan, accepted the 47-year-old’s resignation, an official said.
Nonomura is suspected of misusing ¥3-million (about R320 000) in official allowances for political activities. He allegedly spent the money in travel expenses on 195 trips in one year, including 106 visits to the same hot-spring resort, but he failed to produce a receipt or a report on them.
The assembly has reportedly been swamped with complaints from residents demanding he repay the money.
In trying to explain at a news conference on July 1 in Kobe, Hyogo’s main city, how he spent the money the politician shouted almost incoherent excuses between gut-wrenching sobs, punctuated by long inhalations needed to power his next outburst.
Social media users rapidly spread the images worldwide while comedians at home mocked his act. He has now refused to talk to the media.
The assembly secretariat has reportedly expanded its investigation into the ¥8-million or so which he allegedly spent in travel expenses on 345 trips he made in the past three years.
It is said he told officials that he had “deleted all data” on the trips from his computer, and could not remember them at all. — AFP