Japan PM apologizes over COVID point man Nishimura's booze ban row

Plan to have banks pressure bars called 'bad move' by own party

20210714N suga (KYODO)

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he had not been involved in detailed discussions on the controversial proposals before they were unveiled. © Kyodo

Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday apologized for a proposal by his coronavirus point man to put pressure on restaurants that reject pandemic-linked limits on alcohol sales.

"We regret the trouble we have caused to so many people," Suga said after his government backtracked on a plan to cut off such establishments from alcohol distributors. "I would like to add my own apology."

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