The mood among the people (daily newspaper Junge Welt)

The alcohol ban in force in Tokyo during the Olympic Games is becoming a hot topic for the Japanese government. A few days before the start of the games, she is accused of authoritarian attempts to enforce the controversial alcohol ban. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who was already under pressure for dealing with the corona pandemic, was forced to make a public apology on Wednesday. The occasion was a request by his government, which has meanwhile been withdrawn, to wholesalers, restaurants and bars who defied the ban on serving not to deliver any more alcohol. The government also had to retract plans to call on lenders of such restaurants and bars to put pressure on their customers after criticism.

The government is now trying to limit the damage, especially since elections to the lower house of parliament are due in October at the latest. The polls for Suga’s cabinet have dropped significantly. At the center of the latest criticism is the minister responsible for the corona measures, Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is behind the controversial plans to enforce the alcohol ban. The opposition demands his resignation. Nishimura had also apologized publicly for causing “confusion and fears”. Since the beginning of this week, the corona emergency has been in effect in the Olympic city of Tokyo for the fourth time, which is particularly hard on the catering trade.

For the time being, restaurants and bars are not allowed to serve alcohol until August 22nd and have to close at 8 p.m. In view of the slow payment of “cooperation funds” to companies that adhere to the requirements, some companies have disregarded the alcohol ban. Suga, whose term of office as party and therefore head of government ends on September 30th, has to schedule general elections by October 21st at the latest. According to political observers, he hopes that the Olympic Games will be successful despite the pandemic and that the mood among the people will still turn. This could give him tailwind for the election as LDP party leader and the upcoming parliamentary elections. (dpa / jW)