Japan’s COVID-19 vaccination chief, Taro Kono, on Tuesday faced a backlash for blocking scores of Twitter users who criticized him, a move the contender for next prime minister defended as protecting himself from online abuse.
A hashtag meaning “I’ve been blocked by Mr. Kono” in Japanese was trending with more than 33,000 tweets, with some users expressing frustration that someone in his position as a Cabinet minister is unwilling to engage in dialogue.
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