Sobbing Japanese politician resigns over expense claims

Taxpayers funded 106 trips to hot springs resort for assemblyman Ryutaro Nonomura

Japanese assemblyman Ryutaro Nonomura wailed his way through a press conference earlier this month after being questioned about controversial expense claims.

A Japanese politician who was seen sobbing over dubious spending in a video that went viral has offered his resignation.

Provincial politician Ryutaro Nonomura, 47, a Hyogo Prefectural assemblyman, will have to wait to find out if the assembly will accept his resignation, spokeswoman Chika Fukuyama said.

Mr Nonomura burst into tears and screamed nonsensical phrases when he was asked at a news conference last week about the number of trips he took to a hot springs at taxpayers’ expense.

The video had drawn 2.7 million views as of Friday on just one site. His wailing spawned several spoofs, some of which juxtaposed his voice with rock music and jazz piano.

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Calls for his resignation have grown after it emerged Mr Nonomura visited the hot springs 106 times last year, using public money, and reporting it as political activity.