Shinzo Abe accused of going awol as Japan tackles Covid surge
Thu 6 Aug 2020
After
Japan appeared to have brought the coronavirus outbreak under control in late May, the prime minister, Shinzo Abe, acclaimed his country’s response as a “
model” for the rest of the world. It had avoided an explosion in cases, he said, and without the compulsory lockdowns imposed in Europe and the US.
Abe lifted the seven-week
state of emergency, enabling bars and restaurants that had voluntarily closed to reopen for business. Plans were made to allow indoor events with up to 5,000 attendees, and the media trailed the launch of an economy-boosting nationwide tourism campaign.
But as it prepares for the
Obon public holiday, when millions of people traditionally return to their hometowns, Japan is struggling to address record rises in
Covid-19 cases amid renewed warnings about pressure on its health service, and its largely silent leader has been accused of abandoning his post.
Tokyo alone has reported more than 200 cases a day for the past 10 days, including a record 472 last Saturday and 360 on Thursday. Other urban hotspots are reporting similar surges in new infections, prompting local leaders to take action while ministers caution against any overreaction.
Political analysts speculate that Abe has settled on a laissez-faire approach, rather than make tough decisions on new restrictions that could send the world’s third-biggest economy, already officially in recession, deeper into the mire.
PM acclaimed Japan’s response as a model for the world, but has been largely silent amid record case rises
www.theguardian.com