The last few days were rather unusual for the prime minister's office in Nagatacho, Japan's political center: Both Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga were not there.
The prime minister and chief Cabinet secretary are the No. 1 and No. 2 in any administration. To be ready for any contingency, at least one is always present in Tokyo, preferably near the prime minister's office.
But on Wednesday, Abe traveled as far as Fukushima Prefecture to meet with nuclear evacuees and left the office again Thursday to visit a night school in Tokyo's Katsushika Ward.