Japan Drunken Finance Minister, looses his job,is that justified ?
By ronnyb
@ronnyb (6113)
Jamaica
February 18, 2009 11:30am CST
[b][/b]Japan’s Minister of Finance Shoichi Nakagawa looked drunk at a G8 news conference in Rome last week.He was caught on video slurring his words and falling asleep.He blamed it on cough medicine but handed in his resignation nevertheless.
What do you think of this situation ? Should we really hold our politicians to such high standards as these Japanese after all they are responsible for conducting the nation's business and obviously wouldnt be able to do that if they were drunk.
On the flip side though they are humans and can make mistakes so shouldnt they be forgiven.
What are your views ?
7 people like this
16 responses
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
18 Feb 09
I honestly can't believe they let that man speak. I've never seen a politician so plastered. I seriously doubt it was just cough medicine. I really can't believe this guy didn't have aides or friends who should have said "You don't look so good, we're going to cancel your appearance."
The guy was there representing a powerful industrial nation and he embarrassed himself and his country. I think it is completely justified that he lost his job.
2 people like this
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
18 Feb 09
He definitely looked drunk to me. The Japanese have such a deep sense of honor that I guess the only thing he felt he could do was resign. I felt a little sorry for him because he's obviously under a lot of pressure with the failing ecconomy but on the other hand he did embarass his country.
What puzzles me here is the same thing that I found astounding about some of the executives getting buyouts and using private jets etc? Don't these politicians and execs have PR people that keep them from becoming complete idiots?
1 person likes this
@6precious102 (4043)
• United States
22 Feb 09
If someone is representing our country, particularly if it's something that makes a difference, I'd like that person to have all their wits about them.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
19 Feb 09
If someone in government makes a habit of being drunk while on the job, yes he should get the boot. It certainly doesn't look good for your country to have your Minister of Finance falling asleep at a news conference even if he is sick. He should have made his excuses and gotten someone else to take his place at the G8 conference.
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
19 Feb 09
It does depend. In this case the guy was not professional enough to show up for a very important job in a sober and dignified manner and in my view, that is not acceptable.
On the other hand the media will attack a politician because he visited a strip club in 1972. So what? Who hasn't at one point or another? Things like that are irrelevant with how the person would perform in his job.
@zhuuraan (961)
• United States
19 Feb 09
"Who hasn't at one time or another?"
Me, and a lot of people for that matter. That stuff is sickening and there are a ton of people who would agree.
That being said, I agree with you that things done in the past should not matter, provided they are not illegal.
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
19 Feb 09
Just for the record I haven't done it either and I too find that stuff is sickening! I think I may have chosen the wrong words! I was trying to make the point that some things, sickening as they maybe could have been one off mistakes or whatever and not enough to define someone's character or ability to perform a job.
@suzzy3 (8342)
•
19 Feb 09
To right sack him,cough medicine does not do that to you.If he was truly ill he should have stayed in bed,this summit is to sort out the awful mess the worlds in,we need people on the ball and thinking straight ,it is not a party.We spend enough on this G8 summit between us the least they can do is stay sober when there is work to be done.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
18 Feb 09
Yes it is justified. When one hold such a responsible job surely it is not too much to expect for him to remain sober enough to carry out his duties. Even a common working man here in the US would get fired if he came to work drunk.
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
19 Feb 09
Well I guess it was just prudent that he filed his resignation for doing a sloppy job like that. Being in that kind of function you should upheld yourself with the highest esteem or he may simply ask for some excuse in his speech to compensate for his actions in there. Forgiveness may be given though to these kinds of acts but with the discretion of his superiors.
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
19 Feb 09
Hi ronnyb! I do think that the Japanese Finance Minister should not be harshly judged with just one mistake on his part. Alright, he may have tarnished his reputation for being drunk but will that outweigh all the hard work he did for his country? Japan did have a good financial status and he may be one of the reasons why Japan is doing good. So why one slip make him be in a very bad light? Well, I guess being a political figure everything should always be correct and perfect..they can not afford to make mistakes or bloopers.
Take care and blessings to you!
lovelots..faith
@Annmac (949)
•
19 Feb 09
Although humans make mistakes, it's not a mistake to get drunk whilst working! In many jobs that could lead to fatal consequences and so people are expected to know better.
As for forgiving them, if he was in charge of your finances and because of being drunk, cost you money through his mistakes, would you be forgiving then?
@zhuuraan (961)
• United States
19 Feb 09
Yes he should've lost his job. That is unprofessionalism to say the least and should not be tolerated. He clearly knew what he was doing and especially if he was on the job, he should not have bee n drunk. He can do whatever he wishes in his own free time, but on business time it should not be tolerated.
@delkar (1712)
• Romania
18 Feb 09
it`s hard to immagine that a politician was in that way.. I think that they made the right thing by letting him without work. He deserve that. He made all Japain fell bad for that. Yes, we should hold our politicians to such high standards because they are chosed by us, and they shoul represend us in relation with other countries and what he did it, it was totaly contrary.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
18 Feb 09
i don't have much patience w/a drunk. if he wanted to get that way he should have stayed home & not do it in front of the whole worse. i think he got what he deserved.
@katsalot1 (1618)
•
18 Feb 09
You can't have someone who is representing his country and holds a responsible job behaving like that. It shows lack of respect, and not taking your job seriously. And I agree with a previous comment that you would think someone would have seen the state he was in, and stopped him.
