Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo posted a video to Twitter on Sunday, asking people to stay home to stop coronavirus. It didn't go over well with some users.
The video is in response to a video of Youtuber Gen Hoshino singing a song called "Dancing on the Inside." Hoshino asks his viewers to collaborate with his video. In Abe's post, he shows clips of himself on the couch with his dog, drinking tea, reading and watching TV. The caption said that staying at home is "saving many lives and relieves the strain on healthcare professionals who are facing very challenging circumstances."
"Who do you think you are?" trended on Twitter, in reference to Abe's video. Critics called it "tone-deaf" and "out-of-touch" with what many people are going through in the pandemic. Government data from last year shows 80% of Japanese companies aren't able to let employees work remotely.
A government spokesperson told reporters Monday that Abe posted the video because he sympathized with the emotion of the song, and wanted to communicate with young people that they should stay home.
