First came what the tabloids referred to as "W-jinin," the resignations of two female Cabinet members — Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi and Justice Minister Midori Matsushima — on the same day.
The "W" in this case conveys two nuances: the first being "double," and the second as the initial letter in the word "women."
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's placid composure and quick response in nominating Yoichi Miyazawa as Obuchi's replacement won him a temporary respite from media critics. But within three days Kyodo News discovered that, buried in Miyazawa's political fund report for 2010, was an entry dated Sept. 6 for an outlay of ¥18,230 to Mazan, a bar that features sadomasochistic sex shows in Hiroshima's Naka Ward.