TOKYO -- Japan's Digital Agency, a new government body aimed at upgrading online services and infrastructure in the public sector, begins work on Wednesday. When Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the move about a year ago, he called it a "pillar of the new growth strategy."
Hopes are high. The COVID-19 pandemic has jolted paperwork-bound local governments and companies to accelerate their shift to digital services. The launch comes at a time when Suga's popularity is sinking, with the public blame his government for mishandling Japan's response to the virus.
