Japan PM apologizes for controversial request on alcohol ban

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga apologized on Wednesday for a controversial request to liquor wholesalers, local media reported Wednesday.

The plan had ordered liquor wholesalers to stop selling alcohol to pubs that resist anti-COVID-19 measures forbidding pubs to serve liquor, which received a strong objection.

The Japanese government has scrapped this request. "The request has already been withdrawn. I would like to apologize for causing so much trouble to so many people," said the prime minister.

Suga said that he had not taken part in the discussion on the matter when asked whether he was told previously the details of the request.

The prime minister added that it was crucial to take measures such as giving stimulate subsidies to pubs and restaurants to encourage them to stop alcohol serving in the situation of COVID-19 pandemic.

The plan had received criticism not only from liquor dealers and opposition parties, but also from within the ruling coalition.

The criticism came when the minister in charge of the COVID-19 response drew back another plan this week earlier which called on financial institutions to order businesses to abide by COVID-19 restrictions.

Opposition parties said Cabinet members would be grilled in the Diet on Wednesday. They criticized that Suga's governance had been pushing businesses already struck hard by the pandemic.