Japan's PM criticised for sharing lounge-at-home Twitter video amid COVID-19 pandemic

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shared a video of himself lounging at home as a response to singer Gen Hoshino who had also uploaded a video of himself singing about dancing indoors and urged collaboration. While Abe wanted to encourage everyone to stay home and practice social distancing to curb the further spread of coronavirus, however, the post drew an angry response from internet users. Soon after the video, in which Abe can be seen petting his dog, reading a book, drinking tea, was posted on Twitter, “who do you think you are?” started trending. Netizens believe that Japanese Prime Minister ignored the suffering of those who are currently battling to make a living as most businesses have been shut down.

According to most internet users, the lockdown and dealing with a pandemic is easier fro Japanese PM but "it's not the life of common man". As of April 13, Japan has reported 7,370 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with at least 123 fatalities. However, Twitter users were seen widely triggered by Abe’s “selfishness”. One of them said, “I couldn't believe it...It is said that this is Abe's tweet. Is this person really human?”. Another internet user tagged Abe and said, “at least as long as you are in power, our lost everyday life will never come back.” 

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Twitter user wrote, "In this situation if the prime minister is not like this, this country is really useless. What the prime minister should show is that the people will do their best to compensate and take action so that the people can feel at home."

One more wrote, "When you watch this video, it's obvious how much you don't understand the life of the common people. I think that people who do not know people's lives should not politics only by their own beliefs."

Coronavirus outbreak

After originating from China’s “wet markets”, the coronavirus has now claimed over 116,004 lives worldwide as of April 13. According to the tally by international news agency, the pandemic has now spread to 210 countries and has infected at least 1,871,896 people. Out of the total infections, 434,298 have been recovered but the easily spread virus is continuing to disrupt many lives. Major cities have been put under lockdown in almost all countries and the economy is struggling.

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(Image source: AP)