Critics "asked" where the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, during the times of medical crisis. (Image via Euronews)

Critics: 'Where's Abe' when the COVID-19 hits Japan?

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Politics & Economic
News Flash Japan
Feb 26, 2020
1508
As Japan is struggling to contain the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Japanese political experts asked the whereabouts of the Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. As the longest-serving PM of Japan, the 65-year-old PM seemed to falter in the presence of the COVID-19, leaving the heavy task to his Health Minister, Katsunobu Kato.

The gesture caused many Japanese people to be disappointed, evident by the result of a survey done by Sankei, a newspaper agency in Japan, on the weekend which showed disapproval rating for Abe’s administration outweighing the initial approval since July 2018.

If Abe continues to hide and hope the COVID-19 will be over soon, it will hinder his objective to successfully host the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo. Even, it might cost Abe his fourth term in September 2021 as he is facing the end of his tenure as the ruling party leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

The experts criticized his absence to console and mobilize the Japanese people. The incident added to the rough water he has been sailing in since returning to office in 2012.

From the cherry blossom-viewing party (Hanabi), Abe’s disapproval rate rose to 46.7 percent, with 85 percent of the Japanese people admitted that they were worried about the epidemic. Even then, Abe has not held any proper press conference to address the matter.

Source: https://bit.ly/3923Pgm

Politics , Scandal , Government , Medical , Health , Disease , Pulmonary , Pneumonia , COVID-19 , Outbreak , Asia , Japan , Shinzo-Abe