Cell phone game mocks ‘drowsy’ ex-finance minister

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Japanese who watched footage of their former finance minister slur his words and appear to nod off at a Group of Seven press conference can now try to keep him awake in a new cell phone game. Shoichi Nakagawa — who resigned last week blaming cough medicine and jet lag rather than alcohol for his drowsy performance in Rome — has become the latest target of the Internet game industry.

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In the new phone game called “Drowsy Presser by Drugged Minister,” players can wake a likeness of Nakagawa as he fields questions at a press conference, or allow him to sneak in short naps to build up his energy levels.

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Players gain points if they boost Nakagawa’s “support rating” by having him answer journalists’ questions, but it’s game over if the minister sleeps while he is asked a question, and the game ends with him falling off his chair.

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The game from LiveWare Inc can be downloaded for 52 yen on to the Internet-enabled handsets of three major Japanese carriers.

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“We were seeking to produce a new type of game, featuring news topics,” said Evan Kojima, a manager at LiveWare Inc. “The news of the press conference emerged with a great impact when we were trying to come up with an idea.”

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