By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-08-05 12:32:00 | Updated at 2026-08-05 13:47:24
1 hour ago
KYODO – Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has come under online criticism after a music-backed video of her visit to an area of south-western Japan hit by a deadly earthquake was labelled a “PR piece” by some social media users.
The video, set to piano music and recapping Takaichi’s visit to Kumamoto Prefecture on Aug 3, where a magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck on July 28, shows her flying over disaster-hit areas in a helicopter, meeting residents and inspecting an evacuation centre.
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.”
Speaking at a regular press conference on Aug 5, top government spokesperson Minoru Kihara described the video as “a concise summary” of the visit.
Asked about the 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 backlash over the video’s production comes as the honeymoon period for the prime minister, who took office in October 2025, appears to be waning.
Recent media polls show her Cabinet’s approval ratings trending downwards. KYODO NEWS
