Nishimura Yasutoshi, Japan's Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization, is holding a press conference on the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Tokyo on the afternoon of May 16. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] As the number of new COVID-19 cases in Japan surpassed 2,500, showing a rapid spread, the Minister in charge of economic revitalization overseeing countermeasures sparked controversy by stating that "only God truly knows" the future outlook of the infection spread.
According to foreign media on the 22nd, Nishimura Yasutoshi, Japan's Minister in charge of economic revitalization and overseeing COVID-19 countermeasures, said at a press conference on the night of the 19th in response to a question about the future trend of infections, "Only God truly knows how the infection will proceed."
Regarding the situation where the daily number of new infections nationwide exceeded 2,000, breaking past records, he added, "It is extremely difficult to make a forecast. Even when discussing with experts, it is hard to make an accurate prediction."
His remarks immediately became a hot topic. Especially, the phrase "only God truly knows" sparked voices suggesting that he might not have any confidence in the government's policies.
On the 13th, when concerns about a rapid increase in infections centered in Hokkaido grew and worries about the use of the government's travel support program "Go To Travel" increased, he avoided giving a direct answer by saying, "The decision to use it is up to the people," which drew criticism.
Also, on the 21st, following Prime Minister Suga's announcement of a temporary suspension of the "Go To Campaign" policy, many questions arose about when and in which regions the suspension would be specifically applied. However, he only mentioned, "A conclusion is expected to be reached quickly."
On the 22nd, foreign media unanimously criticized this. Jiji Press reported, "It feels like the government was forced to respond under pressure from experts," adding, "Even so, the changes are minor, making it unclear whether there will be any effect in suppressing infections."
The Asahi Shimbun pointed out, "Many people understand the importance of the economy, but the government has not presented measures appropriate to the situation and only shows an attitude of 'once started, it cannot be stopped,'" and criticized, "The government's lack of communication with citizens is deepening distrust toward the Suga administration."
Famous education critic Ogi Naoki also condemned, saying, "Now the government's COVID-19 containment has collapsed to the level of 'only God truly knows.' Since when did a Japanese minister become a friend of U.S. President Donald Trump, who failed in COVID-19 prevention?"
Meanwhile, Japan has recorded daily new COVID-19 cases in the 2,000 range since the 18th, breaking records for four consecutive days, and on the 22nd, exceeded 2,500 for the first time. According to Asahi Shimbun's tally, on the 21st, seven prefectures including Tokyo, Osaka, Saitama, Hyogo, Chiba, Ibaraki, and Ehime set new records for new infections.
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