Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, notorious for his verbal blunders, may not be the only Cabinet member who needs to watch his tongue.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, Mori's right-hand man, said Wednesday he has apologized to the Lower House for calling opposition party members "gaki," or "spoiled brats."
Fukuda used the derogatory phrase before reporters in the Diet hallway early Tuesday. He was referring to the parliamentary confusion that delayed a vote on the opposition's proposed no-confidence motion against Mori.