Japan PM Suga to decide on tourism campaign as approval score plummets over COVID-19
14 December, 2020
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga could further restrict a much-criticised travel subsidy programme in an effort to contain coronavirus infections, local media said about Sunday (Dec 13), as his approval rating plummets above the handling of the pandemic.
While Japan hasn't seen the kind of massive outbreaks that contain hit america and parts of Europe, infections have worsened as winter has occur, particularly in regions such as the northern island of Hokkaido and the city of Osaka.
The country saw a lot more than 3,000 new infections for the first time in one evening on Saturday and Tokyo, Japan's capital and greatest city, confirmed 621 new cases.
Despite concerns by authorities a travel campaign aimed at boosting the economy may in fact help spread the virus, Suga has insisted an instantaneous halt to the complete travel campaign isn't under consideration. The government offers paused the campaign only in two hardest-strike areas.
"If (the) economy is destroyed, after that it can turn into a serious trouble," Suga said during an online town hall on Friday.
Over the weekend polls found public support for the prime minister has eroded over his handling of the pandemic. A Mainichi newspaper poll on Saturday possessed his approval rating right down to 40 %, a 17 % point fall from last month.
Only 90 days in office after his predecessor Shinzo Abe abruptly resigned because of ill health, Suga in addition has come under pressure because of different controversies, including his rejection of scholars in a science advisory panel.
On Monday, he's set to chair a coronavirus response meeting which could expand the non permanent halt to the travel campaign to Tokyo and metropolis of Nagoya, the large commercial hub of Aichi prefecture.
Also, Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said along Saturday he asked the government to increase the suspension of the tourism programme currently imposed about the Osaka region, as cases of the virus possess yet to subside.
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