“Please declare an emergency”… Suga had another room at the Tokyo branch

Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, Japan, publicly pressured Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is showing a lukewarm attitude in the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19).

According to Japanese media such as the Yomiuri Shimbun, on the 2nd, four heads of metropolitan regional governments, including Governor Koike, Governor of Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama Prefecture, were in charge of the Corona 19 issue. In an interview with the regeneration supervisor, the government asked the government to declare an emergency. This is because the medical system in the metropolitan area is on the verge of collapse without showing signs of subsidence of the spread of Corona 19, with more than 1,300 infected people coming out of Tokyo on the 31st of last month alone.

In form, it is a’request’, but in fact, it is a pressure on the government, saying, “Please come up with measures as soon as possible.” In fact, in Japan, there are no signs of subsidence of infection, with more than 3,000 confirmed cases occurring for 5 consecutive days even during the year-end and New Year holidays.

Governor Koike’s emergency request on that day seems to have not been coordinated with the government in advance. The Yomiuri Shimbun said that “the sudden feeling cannot be denied.”

Governor Koike’s public pressure left Prime Minister Suga in a perplexing situation. The Japanese government has taken a reserved position, saying, “I will refer to the opinions of experts and consider it,” even though some of the claims that’emergency re-occurrence’ is necessary. This is because of the’trauma’ that the economic shock caused by the emergency declaration in April was much greater than expected.

Japan issued an emergency situation in some regions or across the country from April 7 to May 25 last year, when former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in office. As the Japanese economy stopped due to the impact, real gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter of last year (April-June) plunged 7.8% compared to the previous quarter. It is also predicted that economic losses due to emergencies will reach 23 trillion yen (about 244 trillion won).

However, if the government postpones the’declaration of an emergency’ while the local government heads have even called for an open decision, they may face criticism that they have not adequately responded to the spread of infection. Prime Minister Suga stubbornly dragged the travel promotion policy “Go To Travel” until the opposition reached 80%, but later declared a halt and suffered a strong headwind.

Conversely, if an emergency is declared by accepting the request of Governor Koike, etc., it can be seen as acknowledging that the government’s countermeasures against Corona 19 have failed. The economic shock is also inevitable. “If you accept the request, it could be a bigger blow to Prime Minister Suga, who is shaking his feet due to the decline in the Cabinet approval rating,” the support news agency analyzed.

In response to Governor Koike’s sudden request, the official residence is also complaining. Asahi Shimbun reported that there is a story around Prime Minister Suga that “Mr. Koike is cunning. He asked the government to’set the net for an emergency declaration’ without taking any measures that could be used.

Governor Koike and Prime Minister Suga had a nervous war even during the second spread of Corona 19 in July. When Prime Minister Suga, who was then the secretary of the secretary at the time, said, “The re-proliferation of Corona 19 is overwhelmingly’Tokyo problem'”, Governor Koike onslaught against the government’s’Struggle Travel’ policy, saying, “The government is holding the wrong direction key.” did.

First of all, the Suga government is in the position that the’declaration of emergency’ is withheld. Jiji news agency said, “The government plans to prioritize the revision of the Corona 19 Special Measures Act over an emergency declaration.”

Currently, in Japan, it is not possible to legally enforce a reduction in business hours for restaurants without an emergency declaration. Accordingly, it will create a legal basis for imposing fines, etc. on business owners who do not comply with the quarantine guidelines by revising the Corona 19 Special Measures Act.

Meanwhile, according to NHK, a total of 3050 new corona19 patients were confirmed in Japan on the 2nd. In the capital Tokyo, 814 people came out.

Tokyo = Correspondent Lee Young-hee [email protected]