A 47-YEAR-OLD POLITICIAN HAS become an internet phenomenon in Japan after crying like a toddler as he tried to explain his use of public money.

In the jaw-dropping footage from a press conference, Ryutaro Nonomura wails and bangs his fists on the desk as tears stream down his face.

He shouts incoherent excuses in between gut-wrenching sobs.

Nonomura, who was elected to the assembly in Hyogo in western Japan in 2011, is suspected of misusing three million yen (€22,000) of official allowances.

According to media reports, he spent the money on 195 trips he made to four locations in one year, including 106 visits to the same hot spring resort, all without producing a receipt or a report.

He told the press conference:

[crying]… I finally became an assembly member … [crying]… with the sole purpose of changing society.[crying] … This Japan … [crying] …I want to change this society [crying] … I have staked my life … [crying] … Don’t you understand?

Social media users were merciless.

“Is he alright as a member of society, let alone a member of an assembly?” asked Twitter user @nagatokimura

“There was a kid like that when I was in elementary school. A kid who tried to explain by crying like that. lol,” wrote @chiko86

One YouTube posting had been viewed half a million times by this afternoon.

- © AFP, 2014

More: The Vine Dancing Kid is back! And showing off his moves at a baseball game>

More: Paul Rudd helped couple announce their pregnancy in the best way possible>