TOKYO (AP) – A video clip of a weeping Japanese politician accused of dubious spending on trips to a hot springs has gone viral, leaving many outraged and puzzled.
The video shows Ryutaro Nonomura, 47, a Hyogo Prefectural assemblyman, bursting into tears, uttering nonsensical phrases and banging on the desk.
“To change Japan and society,” he said in a choked voice, stopping mid-sentence, sometimes sobbing so loud he was shouting. “I’m putting my life on the line.”
One site for the video drew nearly 640,000 views, as of Thursday.
His news conference Tuesday followed a Kobe Shimbun newspaper report this week that raised questions about Nonomura’s visiting the hot springs 106 times last year, using public money.