Tokyo, Aug 6 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has faced online criticism after a video of her visit to an earthquake-hit area in southwestern Japan, set to piano music, was criticised by some social media users as “PR piece,” local media reported.
Set against a piano soundtrack, the video recaps Takaichi’s Monday visit to Kumamoto Prefecture following the deadly 7.1-magnitude earthquake that jolted the region on July 28.
It features footage of the prime minister surveying disaster-hit areas from a helicopter, meeting affected residents and inspecting an evacuation centre, reports Xinhua news agency, citing local media reports.
One user wrote on X that the video posted by the Prime Minister’s Office’s official account was “government PR,” while another accused the Takaichi administration of “using a disaster for political gain,” according to Kyodo News.
At a regular press conference on Wednesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara defended the video, describing it as “a concise summary” of the visit. Responding to questions about the background piano music, he said it was “a way of presenting the prime minister’s inspection of the damage in a manner that is easy to understand.”
The Japanese PM visited the quake-affected areas on Monday.
“The government will do everything that it can do,” Takaichi told the residents affected by the 7.1-magnitude earthquake on July 28, Kyodo News Agency reported.
Takaichi visited an evacuation shelter in the town of Hikawa, wearing a disaster response uniform.
She also observed the Aeon shopping mall in the town of Kashima from a helicopter where an explosion occurred after the quake, killing seven people. She also saw the paper plant in Yatsushiro where nine people died.
Aerial footage filmed by public broadcaster NHK helicopter on July 28 showed severe damage to the structure. Sections of the building’s exterior wall had peeled away, exposing steel framework, while part of the roof appeared to have collapsed. A large hole was also visible on the rooftop.
The controversy adds to mounting challenges for Takaichi, as recent opinion polls point to a steady decline in her Cabinet’s approval ratings.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture has risen to 38, the prefectural government said on Sunday.
–IANS
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