This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7896190.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Japan PM hit hard by minister's gaffe | Japan PM hit hard by minister's gaffe |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| By Roland Buerk BBC News, Tokyo The minister announced his resignation on Tuesday amid a storm of criticism | By Roland Buerk BBC News, Tokyo The minister announced his resignation on Tuesday amid a storm of criticism |
| Whether overindulgence in cough mixture or wine was behind Shoichi Nakagawa's shambles of a press conference, his departure as Japan's finance minister has delivered another kicking to the government's already low credibility. | Whether overindulgence in cough mixture or wine was behind Shoichi Nakagawa's shambles of a press conference, his departure as Japan's finance minister has delivered another kicking to the government's already low credibility. |
| There he was, the man in charge of the world's second biggest economy, in Rome for a crucial meeting of G7 finance ministers to find a way out of the global crisis, slurring and barely able to keep his eyes open as he was questioned by reporters. | There he was, the man in charge of the world's second biggest economy, in Rome for a crucial meeting of G7 finance ministers to find a way out of the global crisis, slurring and barely able to keep his eyes open as he was questioned by reporters. |
| After returning to Tokyo he first tried to laugh it off during a grilling about his performance by a parliamentary committee, insisting he had taken too much medicine for a cold and had only had "sips" of wine. | After returning to Tokyo he first tried to laugh it off during a grilling about his performance by a parliamentary committee, insisting he had taken too much medicine for a cold and had only had "sips" of wine. |
| As the video was played again and again on Japanese television, and picked up by the international media, he attempted to defuse the rising criticism by saying he would resign, but only after stimulus measures and the budget had been passed - which could take weeks. | As the video was played again and again on Japanese television, and picked up by the international media, he attempted to defuse the rising criticism by saying he would resign, but only after stimulus measures and the budget had been passed - which could take weeks. |
| "I have caused trouble to the prime minister and other people," Mr Nakagawa said. "I apologise for causing a commotion through not taking enough care of my health." | "I have caused trouble to the prime minister and other people," Mr Nakagawa said. "I apologise for causing a commotion through not taking enough care of my health." |
| But still the row did not die down, and finally he had to quit with immediate effect. | |
| Shoichi Nakagawa at the news conference | Shoichi Nakagawa at the news conference |
| Economic gloom | Economic gloom |
| The unseemly manner of his going heaped humiliation upon embarrassment. | The unseemly manner of his going heaped humiliation upon embarrassment. |
| The generous would perhaps have forgiven Shoichi Nakagawa for hitting the bottle, if that is indeed what he had done, and we shall probably never know. The LDP has lost so much public support, it has lost the image of the party that rebuilt Japan after the war Professor Phil Deans, Temple University, Tokyo | The generous would perhaps have forgiven Shoichi Nakagawa for hitting the bottle, if that is indeed what he had done, and we shall probably never know. The LDP has lost so much public support, it has lost the image of the party that rebuilt Japan after the war Professor Phil Deans, Temple University, Tokyo |
| But on his watch Japan has slid into its sharpest recession in decades. | But on his watch Japan has slid into its sharpest recession in decades. |
| He is the right-hand man of Prime Minister Taro Aso, trailing so badly in the polls that political pundits have had to search hard to find a leader in Japanese history to equal him in unpopularity. | He is the right-hand man of Prime Minister Taro Aso, trailing so badly in the polls that political pundits have had to search hard to find a leader in Japanese history to equal him in unpopularity. |
| A survey over the weekend put his support at less than 10%. | A survey over the weekend put his support at less than 10%. |
| In a decision which will not help ease a reputation for inconsistency and flip-flopping, the prime minister had on Monday backed his finance minister before accepting his resignation on Tuesday. | In a decision which will not help ease a reputation for inconsistency and flip-flopping, the prime minister had on Monday backed his finance minister before accepting his resignation on Tuesday. |
| Mr Aso, who took office last September as the fourth prime minister since the last general election in 2005, is looking out of his depth as he tries to face up to a glut of bad news on Japan's economy. | Mr Aso, who took office last September as the fourth prime minister since the last general election in 2005, is looking out of his depth as he tries to face up to a glut of bad news on Japan's economy. |
| Iconic Japanese corporations - Sony, Nissan, Toyota and others - have been forecasting huge losses this financial year as exports of electronic gadgets, machinery and cars have tumbled. Mr Aso has seen his approval rating plummet to record lows | Iconic Japanese corporations - Sony, Nissan, Toyota and others - have been forecasting huge losses this financial year as exports of electronic gadgets, machinery and cars have tumbled. Mr Aso has seen his approval rating plummet to record lows |
| Factories are being mothballed, production slashed, and many people are being laid off, especially workers on temporary contracts. | Factories are being mothballed, production slashed, and many people are being laid off, especially workers on temporary contracts. |
| To revive growth, Mr Aso pushed through the Diet, or parliament, in January a contentious 4.8tn yen ($53bn, £37bn) extra budget that includes a cash handout of at least 12,000 yen to each Japanese taxpayer. | To revive growth, Mr Aso pushed through the Diet, or parliament, in January a contentious 4.8tn yen ($53bn, £37bn) extra budget that includes a cash handout of at least 12,000 yen to each Japanese taxpayer. |
| The idea is they will go out and spend it and boost the economy. | The idea is they will go out and spend it and boost the economy. |
| But critics say it is a lavish waste of public money which will not work. | But critics say it is a lavish waste of public money which will not work. |
| No support | No support |
| Political wrangling has delayed implementation of the stimulus measures as some related bills are still passing through parliament. | Political wrangling has delayed implementation of the stimulus measures as some related bills are still passing through parliament. |
| Mr Aso is also being hampered by his own fractious party and the fact that the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) controls the upper house. | Mr Aso is also being hampered by his own fractious party and the fact that the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) controls the upper house. |
| Mr Nakagawa's resignation came as the DPJ submitted a censure motion which could delay the bills' passage even further. | Mr Nakagawa's resignation came as the DPJ submitted a censure motion which could delay the bills' passage even further. |
| The prime minister must call an election by September this year, and it looks increasingly like his Liberal Democratic Party will lose for only the second time in more than half a century. | The prime minister must call an election by September this year, and it looks increasingly like his Liberal Democratic Party will lose for only the second time in more than half a century. |
| "The LDP has lost so much public support, it has lost the image of the party that rebuilt Japan after the war," said Professor Phil Deans of Temple University in Tokyo. | "The LDP has lost so much public support, it has lost the image of the party that rebuilt Japan after the war," said Professor Phil Deans of Temple University in Tokyo. |
| "People have given up on it. Its great strength, though, is the opposition is unpopular as well. The real loser is Japanese democracy." | "People have given up on it. Its great strength, though, is the opposition is unpopular as well. The real loser is Japanese democracy." |
| So Mr Aso must be looking forward to a chance to escape the turmoil of Tokyo's political scene next week. | So Mr Aso must be looking forward to a chance to escape the turmoil of Tokyo's political scene next week. |
| He is due to travel to Washington as the first foreign leader to meet new US President Barack Obama in the White House. | He is due to travel to Washington as the first foreign leader to meet new US President Barack Obama in the White House. |
| He may not get many more opportunities to pose as a statesman on the world stage. | He may not get many more opportunities to pose as a statesman on the world stage. |