Japan's Abe's COVID-19 Response Wavers... "Regime Foundation Shaken" Evaluation

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Eun-byeol] Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is showing a confused stance in response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), leading to evaluations that even his regime's foundation is being shaken.

According to the Mainichi Shimbun on the 18th, Prime Minister Abe initially announced that as part of an emergency economic measure to respond to COVID-19, 300,000 yen (approximately 3.38 million won) would be paid to households whose income sharply declined, but due to opposition from the coalition partner Komeito Party, the policy was changed to a uniform payment of 100,000 yen per citizen.

To pay 100,000 yen per person to all citizens, a supplementary budget (additional budget) must be restructured. It is very unusual to reorganize a supplementary budget that has already passed cabinet approval.

The newspaper analyzed, "Komeito strongly forced the reorganization of the supplementary budget, leaving the Prime Minister's Office no choice," and stated that "the regime foundation of Prime Minister Abe, who is called the 'strong one,' has been shaken."

Prime Minister Abe, at a press conference the previous day, said about the policy change, "I take full responsibility for causing confusion, and I sincerely apologize to the people," making a public apology. Komeito took a last-ditch stance by refusing to attend a meeting of the House of Representatives Budget Committee on the 16th to discuss the supplementary budget schedule, and it is reported that Abe eventually yielded.

The Asahi Shimbun analyzed that the background of the confusion surrounding the Abe administration's response to COVID-19 lies in changes in the power dynamics that have supported the regime. Initially, the crisis management of the Abe administration was handled by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiro Sugita.

However, during the nationwide simultaneous school closure request in February, it is reported that policy decisions were made centered on Abe's close aide, the Prime Minister's secretary, without the involvement of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Koichi Hagiuda or Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga.

Asahi stated, "In opinion polls by various media outlets, the cabinet approval rating tends to fall uniformly," and diagnosed that "voices have emerged even within the ruling party that the Abe administration, confused and manipulated by COVID-19, is showing signs of its final stage." Asahi also analyzed that this situation inevitably affects the competition toward the 'post-Abe' era.

Recent opinion polls highlight the presence of Shigeru Ishiba, former Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party and considered a rival to Prime Minister Abe, and Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, who repeatedly makes strong statements regarding COVID-19 response.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.