[gov_bean_ counter]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seppuku

... or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

[rmlew]

Seppuku takes 2 people and quite messy. The individual slices open his belly with a knife or short sword. The second beheads him. I've seen pictures supposedly of Yukio Mishima. His second did not proper decapitate him, tring a few times. A third nationalist fixed the situation. A bloody mess all around.
No one has done this since then. Still, if someone wants to send a tanto to Greenspand, Bernake, and Geithner....

[tumblindice]

I remember when this happened. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukio_Mishima the most recent (?) public self-knifing. By the way the guy who attempted (unsuccessfully) to behead Mishima went on to a successful career in Hollywood. Domo arigato, Mr. Miagi. Domo arigato ....

[gaijin]

Probably not a sex scandal —it might mean that it was his job to disclose something or induce some change that he found unbearable.

My guess is that a VERY large entity is bankrupt and nearing the end of it’s rope.

[x]

Investigative sources said the minister was discovered hanged at his home in Tokyo and was taken to hospital but confirmed dead. Tokyo police have found no sign of foul play.