Coronavirus response an unexpected, crucial test for Japan PM Abe

The new coronavirus outbreak is giving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a hard time in a big year for both Japan and himself.A perceived lack of leadership and a sense of crisis in the early stages of the government's coronavirus response have dented public trust, political analysts say, despite Abe's pledge to take pre-emptive steps against the spread of the pneumonia-causing virus.With the economy feared to be heading for a recession and Japanese shares plunging, the cards are being stacked against the country's longest-serving prime minister, who has long placed priority on economic growth."The…READ FULL ARTICLE