One Twitter user asked how the world would view the installation of a giant squid “in a country where vaccines were not provided, P.C.R. testing isn’t increased and the medical system has collapsed.”Mr. Shimoyachi acknowledged that residents had raised concerns about whether the money should have been spent elsewhere. The town has recorded fewer than 30 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began. In all, Japan allocated $41 billion in emergency subsidies to municipalities last year to address the pandemic and its economic impact. Mr. Shimoyachi said that Noto was historically a center of squid fishing in Japan, but that catches had significantly declined because of competition from Chinese and North Korean boats.

Source: New York Times May 06, 2021 08:48 UTC