Ministry Of Silly Walks

Not a good sign when Japan's new construction minister in charge of rebuilding the country's infrastructure is forced out of the job after just one week due to having the public relations skills of a leftover manatee placenta.

Beleaguered Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan took another blow on Tuesday when his reconstruction minister said he intended to resign after about a week in the job over criticism for remarks that offended victims of the March earthquake and tsunami.

Jiji news agency said Ryu Matsumoto, appointed to the newly created post of reconstruction minister at the end of June, had decided to step down after a public outcry over his comments.

Apparently pulling a Eric Cantor in Japan is not a good idea.

Japan’s new disaster reconstruction minister submitted his resignation Tuesday after making remarks widely criticized as offensive during a visit to the earthquake-devastated northeast coast, where he refused to shake a governor’s hand, scolded the official and threatened to withhold aid.

In meetings with local governors over the weekend, Ryu Matsumoto appeared arrogant and uncaring, angering local residents and political opponents. He told the governor of Iwate, one of the hardest-hit prefectures, that the government would not help municipalities that did not have good ideas about rebuilding.

So, when's Eric Cantor going to resign for telling the residents of tornado-stricken Joplin, Missouri that the deficit is more important than rebuilding the town?

Oh right, never.