Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa gives drunken press conference at G7 meeting

Well,

Nakagawa is not some high school boy who needs to be taught the subtleties of public perception. If he really was that sick, then someone who represents one of the world’s largest economic powers should have had the sense to defer to a replacement for the G7 meeting.

Every minute he continues to blame cold medicine, Japan loses any possible sense of credibility it had on the world stage.

I’ve taken cold medicine. You have, too, right? ButI have never ever ever been affected like that. I’ve been drowsy. I’ve been spaced. I’ve jelled. But I have never been pixilated.

perhaps if japanese politicians actually had to earn their positions this kind of situation would become an impossibility

I love the way that they fade in his subtitles and give him the … as he thinks about it.

He could perhaps be both utterly fatigued (jetlag plus hangover) and ODed on cough medicine and missing his usual salaryman genki drink, but I think the cough syrup plus a boozy lunch is the most probable.

Sometimes I think all the cabinet have side bets on the go to see who can make the biggest cock-up of the week!