Financial Times (September 5)
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has “lacked distinctive policies of his own or an independent political base. Going forward, “Japan needs a different kind of leader.” The next leader “requires communication skills and a compelling programme.”
Tags: Communication, Different, Distinctive, Independent, Japan, Leader, Policies, Political base, Prime minister, Skills, Suga
Financial Times (November 24)
“The coronavirus outbreak has exposed Japan’s tardiness on digitization, which posed hurdles as the country tried to adopt online medicine and other digital tools to curb the outbreak.” However, Taro Kono’s “assault on the seal reveals new premier Yoshide Suga’s determination to reform the hidebound state. Hanko seals are universal in Japanese culture…. But they clash with Mr Suga’s move to a digital agency with more government services online.”
Tags: Coronavirus, Determination, Digitization, Hanko, Hidebound, Hurdles, Japan, Kono, Online medicine, Outbreak, Reform, Seal, Suga, Tardiness