Japanese Politician Has Total Press Conference Meltdown, Becomes An Internet Sensation

Ryutaro Nonomura is not having a good week.

After being accused of misusing thousands of dollars in government funds, the 47-year-old Japanese politician held a press conference Wednesday in an attempt to explain himself. It, um, didn't go very well.

As Agence France-Presse notes, Nonomura started wailing hysterically during the 3-hour conference, banging his fists on the table and yelling at reporters. He shouted "incoherent excuses in between gut-wrenching sobs," the news outlet writes, "punctuated by the long intakes of breath necessary to power the next outburst."

The video of Nonomura crying has since gone viral, and his press conference meltdown has spawned many an Internet meme:

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Some netizens have expressed disdain at Nonomura's outburst. "This is so embarrassing," wrote one YouTuber in Japanese, per a Kotaku translation. "Is he drunk?"

Others, however, have been more sympathetic. "This guy CLEARLY needs some time off of work," said another YouTube user after watching the clip.

According to the AFP, Nonomura -- a member of the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly -- has been accused of misusing $29,000 of official allowances. He allegedly spent the money on 195 trips he made in the course of a year, including over 100 visits to a hot springs resort.