Suga became prime minister in September but he has not enjoyed much of a honeymoon as public frustration grows with rising coronavirus infections and several wrangles that have begun to raise questions about how long he might keep the job. One of those who attended the dinner, 76-year-old actor Ryotaro Sugi, told reporters outside the restaurant it was a "year-end party" and they had discussed baseball. The prime minister this week was forced to make a U-turn over a government travel subsidy programme aimed at supporting domestic tourism and helping small businesses that he had long defended. Critics have blamed the programme for encouraging travel that has helped spread the coronavirus around Japan. Suga suspended it over the year-end holidays.

Source: bd News24 December 16, 2020 09:33 UTC