Nakagawa seen 'misbehaving' at Vatican; Russian official says he acted like 'brain was turned off'

good riddance. he has apparently been misbehaving for a long time.

Vacant in the Vatican.

What a shock -- a senior Japanese representative showing a complete lack of respect for a religion and/or culture. And Aso is nominally Catholic. How can Japan seriously feel it deserves a permanent UNSC seat, when it has absolutely no ability to truly respect others? Arrogance and ignorence may be acceptable here on this "island country", but it scores major negative points everywhere else.

This sorry excuse of a politician loses even more credibility by lying through his teeth, denying that he was as drunk as a skunk. I'm glad this all happened because it let the whole world know just what sort of politicians rule over Japan. It's a pity that all this shame still won't get the public angry enough to demand change. But that's their own shame.

It's a pity that there is no video footage of Nakagawa-san misbehaving at the museum. I would pay for it.

What do you expect though? These are the same guys that sit in the diet, sleeping, chatting to their friends and texting on their keitais. Japan should be hanging their head in shame. I do think though with a foreigner commenting on hos behaviour that more Japanese will try and protect him.

Where can I get his cold medicine?

WilliB: It was most likely a codeine based syrup; Vietnam, Laos with no prescription.

Mr. Nakagawa is no doubt party to devastating economic data that tells him, in no uncertain terms, that his nation is headed towards an economic catastrophe, with no solution at hand. Given the circumstances, I think his reaction to start hitting the bottle may be quite understandable. It might be a good time to buy shares in distillers and bottlers, which are likely to be the only publicly listed companies achieving growth.

Aso and Nakagawa are far stupider than politicans up to them have been in many cases, but it's still more or less the same Old Boys that always get into office by scratching each others' backs, and nothing ever changes. Who's going to get in next? Ozawa... now please show me where he is any different.

Nakagawa's excuse is that he took too much cough syrup and had a bad cold, but he also admitted he drank. Anyone with a brain, much less a minister, knows that you do NOT mix alcohol with syrup. What's more, he could very well have sent in someone in his place if he was that sick. He was DRUNK! The antics at the Vatican are inexcusable and prove that, even if the Russian's comments seem to vindicate him slightly (in terms of being sick).

The ONLY reason Nakagawa felt the need to resign is that this was international news and his blunders and drunken behaviour are a joke the world over. If he did this in Japan, and only Japanese were allowed to comment (with the threat of foreigners having to leave if they express their opinions), he would still be foreign minister, and probably still drunk in Italy.

I have spoken to dozens of Japanese over the past week about Nakagawa and they all said how embarrassed they were. I have to agree with them. freedom to criticise is important.

I don't know why anyone is complaining! Nakagawa's session at the G7 was more amusing than anything else that is running on Japanese TV!

What a farce this guy is and is sadly indicative of the Aso cabinet.

During his talks with Russian Deputy PM, Nakagawa refered Aso as "Daijin" (a minister, State minister)...! Asahi News did show video clip ! His strange behavior may arouse suspicion beyond syrup or alcohol..drug addict?

Somebody put a roofie in his drink?

The Trojan priest might have aroused his strong sympathy. Nakagawa always warned his fellows against a wooden horse or anything that undermines national wealth. It's interesting that he resigned while Hillary stayed in Japan who somehow looks like a Minerva.

Surely the funniest thing out of these boring isles for a long time...

Mr. Nakagawa is no doubt party to devastating economic data that tells him, in no uncertain terms, that his nation is headed towards an economic catastrophe, with no solution at hand.

Just his nation? Probably most nations. Nakagawa probably isn't privy to any more doomy predictions than we non-trust-fund-babies are, but he was supposed to know how to do something about it. That weight and an existing drinking problem.. and you get mister "trying to grab the statues".

Drunk in power, who put him there is should be fired!

I am sadly amazed that nobody pointed out that he was an alcoholic. According to the media, he is just "somebody who likes alcohol". Alcoholism is a disease and even though many Japanese people consume way too much alcohol, alcoholism is not recognized as a disease in this country.

A lot of my japanese friends drink at home, everyday, alone. This is alcoholism, plain and simple. Nakagawa's behaviour should have, at least, raised some awareness about this issue, but it seems that it won't happen.

Seiharinokaze - Nice comment. I thought cold medicine was banned. He may have really had a bad reaction like people have had with the tomiflu, medicine for the flu that caused suicidal behavior. This public display of ill manners is so unlike the Japanese.

Now Hilary dancing with the shito dancers sound like something an American might do with the reputation for being loud mouth unmannered bunch.

WilliB and YangYong ifyou want a codeine cough syrup, just go to your local drugstore and ask for rikokode. It's usually in a small bottle that you swig down.

I thought the press conference was bad, now this? Talk about dragging the image of Japan into the mud. I'm sure the museum will be wary the next time a Japanese tour group comes through. Good riddance!

I reckon Nakagawa should get another chance. He should go to treatment and when he is better he can do his job properly without looking daft.

Nakagawa behaved “as if the power switch of his brain had been turned off”

I thought this was the single requirement to be an LDP member.

Cold medicine? Is that a new euphemism for glaucoma medicine nowadays?

may have been drunk

may?? was most likely....was highly probably...was almost certainly...

may?? that is a travesty of the word "may"

Nagakawa, what complete toerag, how did such a disgraceful individual get to such a high ranking position?

"Nakagawa at one point climbed over a barrier around the statue of the Trojan priest Laocoon"

How else was he supposed to get a good look at it? He just wanted to get a good look at European history...

Seeker: You'd have to drink about 5 litres of that instead of the mandatory tenth of that. m5c32: strong Codeine based cough medicine is not new.

YangYong: The guy was drunk... bottom line. He's a sad excuse for a minister, and has rightfully resigned (though he should never have been put in that position).

Good riddance. I hope more and more proof of this guy's alcoholism comes to light so he can get the help he needs.

someone please get the sauce away from this idiot

This moron will be replaced by yet another moron as Japan's economy spirals further downhill.

"The Russian side, although it had its own translator, could only understand what Nakagawa was saying through the translator on the Japanese side, the sources said".

If the situation was so bad, I wonder if the Japanese side's translator was making it up to make some attempt at saving Nakagawa.

Prolific. I am in awe of this guy.

This definitely has further affected Japan's image. Japan is seen as a declining power and these incidents affirms the image.

it must be one of those wireless devices they have installed at the vatican.

"At one time during the meeting, Nakagawa closed his eyes and did not respond for a while" - classic...

economy is indeed rough if the gov't is running out of morons for posts. Wasn't there a case of museum abuse by Japanese before? what's with that?

I heard he was smoking weed

If the situation was so bad, I wonder if the Japanese side's translator was making it up to make some attempt at saving Nakagawa.

I'd be willing to put money on it.

...Russuan cold medicine must be the bomb! Send me some next time I have a cold :)

I have to come clean here, I have to admit that I am not perfect. Maybe some of you will say that if that is the case I really shouldn’t be on this site with you perfect people. I just hope that you will understand that I am trying to do my best. By comparison with you I will of course fail, no, I know I can’t ask that you to forgive my failings because you never forgive anybody else’s so why should you make an exception in my case? I would however ask you to realise that most normal people try & fail at many things a lot of the time, I ask this not for myself you understand, but for the many people that are not as perfect as you. They (we) simply can’t, we are the normal people, not special like you. Nakagawa is one of us, was it drink or a cough mixture, or a combination of both? I don’t know, but if you perfect people were to look back through history at politicians the world over (including in your own counties) you would find that there are many examples of drunken politicians, in fact it’s nearly a norm. Being such perfect people I would like to believe that you could find it in your hearts (if perfect people have such things) to forgive Nakagawa & for that matter me too, for failing to meet your extremely high & (for us lower order people) exacting requirements. Some might say that you all sound like a bunch of pontificating know it all old women, I wouldn’t say that, that would be rude & unfair. You can’t help living in a world that will continually disappoint you, you can’t help being perfect.

Grafton, very..uh..interesting post. BUT I AGREE, DARNIT! If a man can't get completely and utterly sh**faced before a high-profile International summit without the cold, accusing judgement of others, WHATS THE WORLD COMING TO?!

Totaly agree, Grafton.

he was paid a large amount of money to do a job and behave responsibly for those of us who pay his salary. he failed. he quit. that's it. what is wrong with criticising someone who makes a mistake? nothing at all

temporary amnesia?

The only thing interesting here, is that it is Russia making such provocative comments.

Great summary hoserfella. At the same time, I agree with shouganaika. What we foreigners think about the mattter is a hill of beans. The Japanese people that I come in contact with (ordinary salary men/women, make that men (the women would barely comment;even the some of the men/what's new?) were beyond forgiveness. Outside of the cities where people are really hurting, people were livid, and with all rights. This country, and now the world is really suffering (o.k. like even the non-G8 countries) and here's a "responsible" politician making more than 2000 man en, getting drunk at his job. That's the point. People here are dying for a job to go to, to take their minds of despair, and here is the top of the gov't travelling to Paris on tax payers money and throwing it all away due to his couldn't give a xxxx about representing his gov't. That's the point. Not that any of us are any better, but on the occasion of representing one's country, more due diligence is required.

Moderator:

If you felt my (rather sarcastic) post was inappropriate, you should have removed it, not ninja editied it so that it now expresses exactly the OPPOSITE of what it originally did. Worst of all, you made no indication that you editied the comment, so it looks like it is my own.

What is the point of allowing people to post their opinions if you are just going to come in and re-write them to say whatever you (the moderator) feel like?

Except Grafton, you are paid by the tax payers to represent your nation before the rest of the world's media acting like a drunken jack ass. Those in positions of trust are held to higher standards. Something missing in today's societies is this: Those given repsonsibility are held to higher accountability. Public service is a position of humility, something lost in societies today. That is the reason Nakagawa acted like this, the arrognace of public servats who think they are kings and not servants.

I wish they just went for something like the death penalty for idiot politicians like Nakagawa, maybe send him off to some hard core Islamic country that has no izakayas, pubs etc..I am sure this would help him sober up!

Nakagawa insisted on using the profits of foreign reserve to invest as an intellectual fund in the strategic development of technology and nurturing of researchers. He said it is a more appropriate way of using the foreign reserve, far better than being obsessed with the idea that Japan has no choice but to continue having the US treasury bonds out of consideration for the U.S. This type of politician seems destined to be strangled in a grisly fashion casting caution to the winds by warning of a deadly fraud devised by the A-chielfs?

He must of been sippin on some zizurp