Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara has apologised for saying earthquake victims deserved to be killed and made homeless as punishment for the sinful greed of the Japanese people.
After his remarks were publicised, as he expressly told journalists to do, they were unsurprisingly the subject of widespread disgust and condemnation in Japan and beyond, he was forced into making a formal apology at a press conference:
“I deeply hurt the victims, as well as the people of the capital and the nation […] I withdraw my remark and I am deeply sorry for this.”
For good measure, he also tried some sophistry to worm his way out:
“As the head of the administration, my use of a phrase like ‘divine punishment’ without sufficient elaboration was lacking. I am deeply sympathetic to the miserable and dismal plight of the victims.
As Tokyo governor I will do my very best to relieve the plight of these victims.”
He has not announced any change to his plans to rule Tokyo for a fourth term – in fact, his fellow crazed right-wing nut Matsuzawa just announced he will withdraw his candidacy and back Ishihara (in return for Ishihara’s promise of a choice post), so as not to split the hate vote.
This asshole insulted those who suffered and kept making pointless laws that is driving already-suffering Japan into hell, yet he is still in his office just because of a single “gomenasai” and nothing more?
Japanese people, I know you’re polite and all (except for this foul abomination), but please, when it comes to politics PLEASE GROW A GODDAMN SPINE.
Empty apology is not accepted. This guy he pisses me off so much and CNN doesn’t even bothe4r to criticize this guy. It’s disgusting.
so Tokyo will have worse condition than ever
hypocrisy at it’s finest
wow… this is a good example of how F*cked up
I-sh*t-hara and everyone that still supports him.
how could he said that and just apoligizes afterwards???? that pure political b*llshit I tell you! its likeif I said (sorry people and queen of england, love y’all) “i’m sorry i thought that the queen of england is a wh*re, and i withdraw my remark” and then people said “oh yeah he said his sorry about it… what’s for dinner anyway?- and then they just forgot about it…that’s F*CKED UP