“The Crying Japanese Politician”: How Ryutaro Nonomura Became a Global Meme Icon

🔹 TL;DR

In 2014, a little-known Japanese politician named Ryutaro Nonomura held a press conference that would make him internationally famous—not for his policies, but for his uncontrollable sobbing and shrieking on live TV.

That unforgettable moment exploded into a global meme phenomenon, giving birth to thousands of remixes, parody videos, anime crossovers, and cultural commentary.
This article breaks down what happened, why it resonated, and what it says about politics, shame, and the absurd power of internet culture.

1. Who Was Ryutaro Nonomura?

At the time of the incident, Ryutaro Nonomura was a relatively unknown member of the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly in Japan. A former bureaucrat with no strong political achievements, he gained sudden and unwanted fame when allegations surfaced that he had misused over 3 million yen (~$27,000) in public funds under the guise of business travel.

He was accused of:

• Filing expense reports without receipts
• Making implausible claims about hundreds of solo “day trips”
• Failing to account for how the funds were actually spent

When questioned about these inconsistencies, Nonomura agreed to face the press.

2. The Press Conference Heard ‘Round the World

On July 1st, 2014, Nonomura held what was supposed to be a standard apology press conference.
Instead, the public witnessed what can only be described as a meltdown.

In front of live cameras, Nonomura burst into tears, pounded the desk, and let out high-pitched wails that sounded almost animalistic. He sobbed:

“うわぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁん！！（うわああああん！！）”
“I’m not to blame! I’m doing this for the people of Hyogo!”

He repeated this multiple times, breathless, voice cracking, hands waving.

It was like something out of a tragic comedy—and it immediately went viral.

3. How It Spread Online: From Scandal to Satire

Within hours, YouTube videos of the press conference gained hundreds of thousands of views.
By Day 3, some videos had reached over 3 million views.

Then came the memes:

• MAD videos (Japanese remixes synced to music)
• Parodies using anime, game characters, and sound effects
• Edits with Gintama, Dragon Ball, Perfume, and even Wi-Fi routers
• Subtitles in English, Korean, and Spanish
• Sound clips used as alarm tones, ringtones, and Discord notifications

On Reddit and Twitter, users called it:

“The most dramatic performance in modern politics.”
“Japan’s answer to reality TV.”

4. Who Was Behind the Spread?

While the video itself came from the Japanese press pool, the users on Nico Nico Douga, YouTube, and Reddit helped accelerate the memeification. Platforms like Know Your Meme and GaijinPot documented the timeline and cultural impact.

A Reddit thread from r/Gintama highlighted how the anime parodied the scene, noting:

“Even Gintama couldn’t resist. This was peak absurdity, and it deserved to be immortalized.”

5. Personal Accounts & Expert Takes

📒 ABC News (International Coverage)

ABC labeled the footage as “uncontrollable hysterics” and compared it to viral meltdowns from Western politicians or celebrities. But what made this one stand out, they said, was its raw emotionality and sheer length.

📘 Wikipedia & Legal Outcome

Nonomura resigned shortly after the press conference and was later convicted for falsifying official documents. He received a three-year prison sentence, suspended for four years, and essentially vanished from public life.

🧠 GaijinPot Blog Commentary

A contributor on GaijinPot reflected:

“It wasn’t just the crying. It was the sincerity. Or maybe, the performance of sincerity. Either way, people couldn’t look away.”

6. Deeper Analysis: Why Did This Become a Meme?

① Extreme Emotional Expression in a Reserved Culture

In Japan, emotional restraint—especially in public—is a cultural norm.
Nonomura shattered that expectation in a setting (government) where it was most taboo.

The result?
A cathartic release, but also a cultural rupture. It was funny, because it was unthinkable.

② A Visual + Audio Package Made for the Internet

His voice cracked, his hair was unkempt, his shirt damp with sweat.
It wasn’t just what he said—it was how he looked and sounded saying it.

“This was a meme waiting to happen. It had everything—visuals, sounds, absurdity, emotion.” — KnowYourMeme staff

③ A Perfect Storm of Scandal + Theater

There was a real scandal (embezzlement), real consequences (resignation, conviction), and real drama (the tears).
The meme’s power came not from fabrication—but from unfiltered spectacle.

7. What Happened to Him After the Meme Storm?

Following his resignation and trial, Nonomura disappeared from the spotlight.
But the meme didn’t die with his career—it evolved.

In 2020s retrospectives, he’s often referred to as:

• “Japan’s Crying Politician”
• “The Wailing Assemblyman”
• “The Human Alarm Clock” (thanks to memeified ringtones)

Meanwhile, his infamous soundbites continue to echo in:

• Meme compilations
• Japanese “reaction videos”
• TikTok humor skits
• Audio mashups with anime and video game characters

Even though Nonomura himself no longer appears in public, his cry remains immortal in digital form.

8. Cultural Legacy: A Meme That Crossed Borders

Nonomura’s meltdown has been referenced in:

• International news broadcasts (CNN, ABC, BBC)
• University lectures on political theater and media
• Meme history timelines and digital anthropology texts

It’s even been used in language learning videos, where the emphasis on emotion helps Japanese learners grasp intonation.

But beyond its humor, the meme invites a deeper question:

“At what point does mockery become cruelty?
And what does it mean to go viral… for breaking down?”

9. Meme as Mirror: What This Tells Us About Us

🔍 A. We Crave Authenticity—Even If It’s Painful

Some viewers say they couldn’t stop watching because it felt genuine, even if exaggerated.
In a world of polished PR statements, this was raw and unfiltered.

🔍 B. Internet Culture Turns Tragedy into Entertainment

What was a personal crisis became a global joke.
And once a clip is meme-ified, it’s nearly impossible to reclaim your narrative.

Nonomura’s story is not just about a man crying on TV.
It’s about how the internet chews up public vulnerability.

🔍 C. The Line Between Laughter and Pity

Many viewers initially laughed.
But years later, revisiting the clip feels different.
There’s sadness. Discomfort. Maybe even regret.

As one Redditor put it:

“It’s hilarious… until you remember he’s a real guy who was really suffering.”

10. Final Thoughts: The Meme That Screamed Back

Ryutaro Nonomura didn’t mean to become a meme.
He wanted to defend himself, to explain, to survive a scandal.
Instead, he became a symbol of failure, performance, and pathos.

But that’s what makes the meme so powerful.

It isn’t just funny.
It’s human.

✅ Summary Points

• Nonomura’s tearful press conference in 2014 became an international meme.
• The meme spread due to its dramatic emotional display, absurdity, and viral remixability.
• After his conviction and resignation, Nonomura disappeared—but the meme lives on.
• The incident is now studied as a case of public vulnerability, political failure, and meme culture.
• Laughter aside, it prompts reflection on how we treat emotional collapse in the digital age.

🔗 References

• Ryutaro Nonomura (Wikipedia)
• Know Your Meme – Crying Politician
• ABC News – Hysterical Apology Goes Viral
• GaijinPot Blog – Nonomura Breakdown
• Reddit – Gintama Parody Discussion