Japanese Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa decided Tuesday to resign as he had been criticized over his unusual behaviour at a press conference in Rome.
Nakagawa, 55, said that he would step down after the fiscal 2009 budget and related bills pass the Diet, which is expected in March or April.
"My doctor told me that I am suffering from a cold and fatigue," Nakagawa was quoted as saying at a hastily summoned press conference after having a medical examination.
He said that he apologized for having caused a great deal of trouble to the prime minister and other people concerned.
The finance minister slurred his speech, at times appeared half asleep and had trouble answering questions from reporters at a news conference following the Group of Seven (G7) financial leaders' meeting in the Italian capital Saturday.
As his behavior sparked speculation that he was under the influence of alcohol at that time, Nakagawa and other government officials on Monday repeatedly denied he had been drinking beforehand, saying his wobbly performance was caused mainly by jet lag and cold medicine.
Also on Monday, executives of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) held a meeting and agreed to demand Nakagawa resign.
Nakagawa, known for his fondness for alcohol, admitted sipping wine at a G7 lunch before the news conference later Monday.