Taro Aso has never been one to hold his tongue. But Japan's 72 year-old deputy prime minister may have outdone himself with his latest gaffe.

At a government panel to discuss social security reforms, the former prime minister called the elderly who are unable to feed themselves "tube people," then proceeded to say the elderly should be allowed to "hurry up and die" to reduce the burden on a country tasked to pay for their medical expenses.