Cold remedy caused behavior, minister says

TOKYO, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Cold medicine was blamed for slurred speech and seemingly drunken behavior by Japan's Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa during a news conference in Rome.

Nakagawa said he had less than a glass of wine before a Group of 7 finance ministers' news conference, when he appeared too confused to give his country's current interest rate, The Times of London reported Monday.

When he returned to Japan Monday, Nakagawa was greeted by calls for his resignation by opposition leaders who said his appearance was an embarrassment that sent a "message to the whole world," the British newspaper said.

Yukio Hatoyama, secretary-general of the main opposition Democratic Party, said Nakagawa should be fired immediately because he "damaged the national interest."

Nakagawa said he drank alcohol during his flight to Rome and had taken some strong medicine, which may have affected him adversely.

Because of Nakagawa's closeness to unpopular Prime Minister Taro Aso, the incident has provided the opposition with another knock of Japan's embattled government, already under fire for its handling of the economic crisis.