TOKYO: Yoichi Takahashi, a special adviser to the cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, resigned on Monday after drawing a barrage of criticism over his recent controversial Twitter posts regarding the novel coronavirus situation in the country.

His resignation was announced by the government on the day.

Earlier this month, Takahashi said on his Twitter account that the coronavirus infection situation in Japan is a mere “ripple.” He tweeted later that the government’s state of emergency over the epidemic is “something like a fart.”

Takahashi “offered to quit as he does not want to cause any more trouble,” Suga told reporters on Monday, adding, “He was regretting (the tweets) very much.” The prime minister earlier indicated a stance of defending Takahashi, saying that he had offered an apology.

Takahashi tweeted on Monday that the Twitter posts in questions were “inappropriate” and that “I would like to apologize to parties concerned.”

不適切表現を次に改めます。各位にお詫びします。

日本の緊急事態宣言といっても、欧米から見れば、戒厳令でもなく行動制限は弱い。下図参照 pic.twitter.com/z5rfV642YH

— 高橋洋一（嘉悦大） (@YoichiTakahashi) May 24, 2021

Opposition officials voiced criticism. The matter should not be brought to an end with Takahashi’s resignation, Yukio Edano, head of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said at a meeting of the party. The prime minister’s wisdom of relying on Takahashi as an adviser for a long period of time should be called into question, Edano added.

Akira Koike, a senior official of the Japanese Communist Party, told a press conference that the party plans to pursue Suga’s responsibility for appointing Takahashi as special cabinet adviser.

JIJI Press