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Prime Minister Suga is neglecting his responsibilities by not holding a single news conference. The prime minister is responsible for leading from the front to convey the government's policies (to the public) amid what can be called the worst crisis since World War II.

13 Comments

Yukio Edano, the head of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, criticizing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga for not holding any news conferences in November amid a surge in the number of coronavirus infections in the country.

© Mainichi Shimbun

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Those press conferences are useless anyway, with guided questioning, all decided prior to the PC.

And journalists self censoring , happy to pick up their salaries, do some copy writing and shut up

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Regardless of the fact that prime ministerial news offerings here are more often than not staged and minimalist in quality, that Suga has decided to go awol from public announcements is disturbing.

These are difficult times and a new administrator should be out front and upfront detailing plans and realistically assuring the citizens.

He has done little.

And the fact that he remains aloof just perpetuates the notion of the elites vs the people and ne'er the twain shall meet.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

since Abe government,

Japanese prime minister only reads prepared answer from in the questions that cabinet office chose beforehand.

but, Japan's weakened mainstream media avoid even tough questions against prime minister who lacks ability of answer.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Suga,Abe et al have nothing but utter contempt for the electorate.

It has always been like this in Japan but since Abe began his second term and now continuing on with Suga the situation is getting farcical.

To not even appear in front of the nation during times like these just shows what the ‘elite’ really think of the plebs.

Lower than cannon fodder.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Just tell Suga he can hold up kanji signs at the press conference and he'll be fine.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Did you hear that, Mr. Prime Minister?

Even if press conference could end up empty handed at times, the need is there for the nation's leader to directly face the public and the press once a while to prove his worthiness or express his personal views..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Talking without sense and logic or another series of conferences and press statements is not what is needed. Someone who does something and then also does it right, that’s what is now immediately needed. Anyway, he was good at holding the new era characters in the air, no doubt.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Hideomi Kuze,

I agree entirely with you.

Nowadays the Japanese prime minister has carte blanche to do whatever he wants to do.

The Japanese mainstream media is complicit in the erosion of accountability in Japan.

I have noticed an 'air of giving up' in Japan.

When I first moved over here 30 years ago it was such a dynamic,powerful place to be.

Over time the LDP and Abe,in particular,has sucked the life out of Japan and its wonderful people so it bears no resemblance to the place it once was.

I wonder if this is part of the Nippon Kaigi manifesto that the commoners will never get to see.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

maybe he is at a loss of what to say.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So 2000 deaths over the past 9 months is the greatest crisis since WW2? So far Japan has seen far fewer deaths of all causes in 2020 than it has in many years. Flu deaths are far higher in Japan than COVID, as are suicide deaths. No wonder the DPJ can’t get its crap together.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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