Electric advertising signboards display ads affiliated with the Go To Travel campaign at a train station in Tokyo on Wednesday. Photo: REUTERS/Issei Kato
national

Suga trips up with messy reversal on Go To Travel campaign

34 Comments
By Linda Sieg and Rocky Swift

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34 Comments
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Maybe the Japanese government needs to remide the public that Japan has the lowest death rate among the G7 and more Japanese are dying of Suicide than of Covid 19.

The best country in the world yet its citizen are not the happiest and are committing suicide.

It doesn't make sense.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Sven AsaiToday  05:48 pm JST

He has no mandate from all the people so far. That alone is rather strange. Anyone can reach the top without being elected? That is even stranger than in dictatorships where there is at least a theoretical chance that all electors deny any stupid leader.

You may want to look into the Westminster system. It’s kind of well-known.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_system

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Suga. Anything that hastens his exit is to the good.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Dear Linda Sieg and Rocky Swift,

Who decided on the title of this article?

Quote ''Suga trips up with messy reversal on Go To Travel campaign''

It's called adjusting to current situation.

The decision was made because of cases rising, what's best for the public.

It was Not a Bad Decision! You make it sound like it was!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"The view may spread that he puts a priority on keeping the economy running rather than protecting people's lives."

I think that analysis would be off the mark, and here is why: the economy IS people’s lives.

However I do not like the GoTo campaigns, for they are a subsidy program, and subsidizing specific industries is a failed policy - a lesson the LDP never learned.

But I doubt it is GoTo campaigns that are the main driver of the recent increase in infections. Yes, it does seem like is is sprinkling some fuel onto the fire, but messing with GoTo is not going to miraculously bring down infections.

Whether these sectors of the economy will remain viable once the virus subsided is yet to be seen. Tax payers shouldn’t be on the hook for subsidizing specific industries.

I would prefer that taxpayers were supporting those hard hit through non-industry specific programs. The country already has safety nets for unemployment. That’s what should be relied on here, rather than government deciding to subsidize specific industries. Let the economy do what it will to adjust to the realities of supply and demand, and support those whose lives are disrupted.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I could care less about this non-news. GoTo only stopped in a couple of areas, so it's not like he lied when he said it would continue.

I'm more concerned about the message pushed by a number of politicians during the past few weeks, that it's somehow OK to have nomikais as long as you wear a mask when you aren't eating, lol.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

If 90% plus of people would just follow the basic preventative measures COVID-19 would not be a big problem. But, of course, the 25% of people who just don't care ruin it for the whole country.

Are you referring to herd immunity or forced vaccinations?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Get rid of Suga and anyone remotely associated with Abe as well.

This time get someone who is actually competent and has vision. Tired of these guys just doing the same old crap.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The GoTo campaigns should have been structured to be self regulating. If they were structured to operate only if the level of emergency in an area stayed below Level 3 the govenment would not have to step in. It would have been an incentive for people to keep the infection rate low. The way it is set up people will just blame the government. It's very short sighted planning.

If 90% plus of people would just follow the basic preventative measures COVID-19 would not be a big problem. But, of course, the 25% of people who just don't care ruin it for the whole country.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Suga is just being used by LDP to be the fall guy, as he is not from a political family.

LDP just want to use this period to funnel money to the donors (e.g. Dentsu) and themselves. No matter what happens with Suga, it will have no effect to the political families.

Members of political families will still win landslides as they have fanatical support from the regions they represent, so there will be no change in government.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Sven Asai

“Anyone can reach the top without being elected?”

Suga became PM because he was elected head of the ruling party by LDP politicians who had been voted in by Japanese people. And that gives Suga indirect mandate to rule.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

image as a down-to-earth leader pushing popular policies such as lower mobile phone rates.

Phone rates haven't come down though, have they? He's on very shaky ground if he wants to be praised for that.

The other problem with Go To Eat and Go To Travel is the few very small operators will benefit that much from them, and most of the people getting the tasty cheap trip will be comfortable, if not well-off. This is bound to cause resentment.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Suga really isnt a leader, well his former boss wasnt either, but at least Abe could fake it!

Suga is the henchman behind the throne kind of guy, he needs someone to back him up, and without it, he steps on his, you know what.

The LDP leadership knew this all along when they picked him, over-sold him to the media, and all that crap, prior to the LDP election. They were hoping he would be a decent care-taker until the next diet elections.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

"At this point, they (the government) still sound like they don't know what they are doing."

Actually, they know exactly what they are doing- as little as possible for the people, and as much as they can for their cronies. That is the LDP's guiding principle.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Actually they do tests on the dead also, though just like with the living, just not enough

Considering they only focus on living people with symptoms, i wonder how a dead bodies shows symptoms.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

He has no mandate from all the people so far. That alone is rather strange. Anyone can reach the top without being elected? That is even stranger than in dictatorships where there is at least a theoretical chance that all electors deny any stupid leader.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Why should anyone be surprised?!

Apart from being the next in line in his party, and being the person least likely to ‘rock the boat’ in a particular political faction - what specifically qualifies Suga to be PM? Absolutely nothing.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

without telling they don't do post-mortem tests and that the number of kodokushi is getting higher and higher ...

Actually they do tests on the dead also, though just like with the living, just not enough

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Go to Travel トラベル

Go To Troubleトラブル

Not much difference!

14 ( +16 / -2 )

Damn I love GoTo Travel. Off again on Friday.

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

Maybe the Japanese government needs to remide the public that Japan has the lowest death rate among the G7

without telling they don't do post-mortem tests and that the number of kodokushi is getting higher and higher ...

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Its unsettling how much these old men keep screwing things up. They should be retired long ago yet here they are, screwing up each and every moment. Since the boat docked in Yokohama back in March, they have shown time and time again how completely useless they are at handling any challenge. The goto silliness was flagged by many experts but, just like the boat fiasco, they were ignored until it was too late. They are getting paid for doing this + the backhanders et al ... Truely sickening. The Thailand youth have the right idea, kick out these goddam dinasours before they completely destroy everything.

17 ( +20 / -3 )

Just like Abe.

Open mouth, insert foot. He is gonna get athletes tongue.

16 ( +18 / -2 )

From the very start the campaign should should have included plans on what todo when/if certain situations arise, not deliberate and decide on things as they happen

14 ( +16 / -2 )

At this point, they (the government) still sound like they don't know what they are doing."

Maybe the Japanese government needs to remide the public that Japan has the lowest death rate among the G7 and more Japanese are dying of Suicide than of Covid 19.

-20 ( +5 / -25 )

an infectious disease expert , said it was clear greater movement of people boosted infection risk.

You don't need to be an expert for that.

That happens to all viruses the world faced already. Also for the flu!

Each single elementary school kid knows that.

13 ( +18 / -5 )

Glad he has been left with egg on his face.

These LDP oyaji don't think they have to answer to anyone least of all the people they are supposed to serve.

27 ( +30 / -3 )

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