Government excludes Tokyo from campaign to promote tourism industry amid high number of Covid-19 cases in the capital
Tokyo — The Japanese government faced potentially damaging blowback on Friday after barring Tokyo residents from claiming a travel subsidy that is aimed at reviving a domestic tourism industry hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
“What makes you think that business trips or commuting won’t spread the coronavirus? Do you think it’s fair to exclude Tokyoites from a campaign that’s using taxpayers money?” said opposition legislator Renho Murata on Friday morning in a tweet addressed to Abe.Tourism minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said the decision to exclude Tokyo residents from receiving a 50% government subsidy for domestic trips was “heartbreaking.
“Originally, the travel campaign was premised on the pandemic having been contained, but they [the Abe government] tried to push it through anyway. They excluded Tokyo, but cases are increasing nationally,” said Tomoaki Iwai, political science professor at Nihon University.“Voters feel that the prime minister’s office is not making appropriate policy,” creating a feeling of mistrust, he added.
“He is certainly not leading in any way like he was before,” Reed said, though he acknowledged the impact on Abe’s support was hard to predict given voters routinely cite a lack of a viable alternative.
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