A fresh parliamentary session will be convened on Monday as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is thrust into a perilous position as public outcry grows over his handling of the coronavirus crisis.
Suga’s ambitions to realize his signature projects on digitalization and carbon reduction have been overshadowed by the virus, which has sickened thousands of people, overwhelmed hospitals and rattled the public's confidence in his administration. Those initiatives will be sidelined at least until he brings the epidemic under control, and the Diet passes an economic stimulus package and the government's fiscal 2021 budget.
Through the 150-day ordinary Diet session that wraps up June 16, the prime minister will first need to re-establish his grip on power through effective actions on the coronavirus or risk losing momentum on his key policy goals.