AICHI (TR) – A female city council member from Tsushima City on Friday announced her resignation at a press conference over a drunken tirade at a hospital earlier this month that included her assaulting medical personnel, reports Nippon News Network (Dec. 20).
“I apologize for the great inconvenience I have caused,” said 48-year-old Yumiko Matsui, a member of the Communist Party. I have acted in a way that I cannot apologize enough for, so I would like to resign as of today.”
On the night of December 13, Matsui went out drinking at a bar in Tsushima with two female friends. After becoming intoxicated, she was found collapsed on the street by a person living in the area and rushed to the hospital by ambulance.
Upon arrival, she reportedly kicked a female nurse in the chest, causing bruises to her chest and back that will take a week to heal. As well, she assaulted a male trainee doctor and an ambulance worker.
“I only drank beer,” she said. “I was eating and talking with friends while drinking. So, I don’t remember exactly how much I drank.”
In describing what happened on the street, she said, “I hit both my hands, both my knees and my mouth so hard that my four front teeth were loose. My upper and lower lips were cut and I was bleeding badly.”
“I really have no memory”
Regarding the alleged assaults at the hospital, Matsui repeatedly said she “doesn’t remember” carrying out any violent acts.
“I really have no memory of it,” she said, “so I was really surprised that I acted like that.”
When asked if the police were involved, she said, “I don’t remember that either. I don’t remember anything I did in the hospital. My memory started to come back clearly, but I was fully aware of walking back to my house, entering through the front door and sleeping in my futon from that point on.”
Later, she found out that she had caused the disturbance at the hospital and returned twice to apologize. However, she says that the nurse and the intern refused to accept any apologies in person.
“I heard one victim say, ‘I don’t want to meet her,” she said.
I will stop drinking alcohol”
When asked about drinking again in the future, she said, “I intend to never drink alcohol at all. I will stop drinking alcohol.”
Her resignation was accepted on Friday, and her page was removed from the Communist Party’s website.
The police accepted a complaint on the matter and are investigating the case on suspicion of assault and injury.
