Yasutoshi Nishimura, state minister in charge of economic revitalization, and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura traded barbs over the lifting of a request to suspend businesses due to the spread of the new coronavirus.
On Tuesday, Yoshimura unveiled the Osaka prefectural government's own criteria for lifting a request for business suspensions, called "Osaka model." At that time, he called on the central government to show "specific figures and benchmarks" for the lifting of the request.
In response, Nishimura said at a press conference on Wednesday that a governor has the authority to make a request to suspend business operations and lift the request. The minister showed his frustration, saying: "[Yoshimura] must have misunderstood. I strongly feel it odd."
On Wednesday night, Yoshimura offered an apology on Twitter, saying, "I caused the inconvenience." But added, "I wanted an exit strategy to be presented if the state of emergency was to be extended."
The following day, the Osaka governor also sarcastically told reporters at the prefectural government building: "I'm glad that the matter [where the authority to request and lift the business suspensions lies] became clear. [The central government] won't overturn what we decide to do at the last minute."
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