Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga prepares to attend a meeting of his Cabinet on Feb. 26. (Kotaro Ebara)

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s press secretary is rejecting a request for a formal news conference from the press club that covers the prime minister’s office.

The club made the request on Feb. 26, given that the state of emergency declared over the novel coronavirus pandemic is expected to be lifted for six prefectures.

But the official in charge of media relations at the prime minister’s office is rejecting the request, saying that a news conference would only be held once the state of emergency is lifted for all prefectures.

The press club’s request also touched upon the many questions reporters have for Suga on other hot topics, including over the wining and dining of high-ranking bureaucrats in the telecommunications and farm ministries.

They also want to ask why the state of emergency is being lifted for six prefectures and what the outlook is for the four prefectures in the Tokyo area, where it is expected to remain in place until March 7.

“Today, at this point in time, it is not possible to make a judgment about the overall situation” regarding the pandemic, the press secretary responded.

“We have been implementing various measures during the state of emergency with a high level of urgency and we will make a decision about the overall situation after observing trends until the very end,” the official added. “We believe an explanation through a news conference should only be held to explain the overall situation regarding the state of emergency.”

The official also pointed to the precedent made by Suga’s predecessor, Shinzo Abe, last May when the state of emergency was lifted early for three prefectures in the Kansai region. Abe did not hold a news conference at that time, but waited until it was lifted for all prefectures.

Regarding the other topics the press club wants to raise with the prime minister, the press secretary said Suga has already provided various explanations in the Diet and through speaking with the media at informal news conferences.

The official added that the government’s position was explained by Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato at his twice-daily news conferences, as well as the news conferences held separately by various Cabinet ministers.

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