Japan’s PM Kishida says sinus surgery went smoothly

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says he had successful sinus surgery at a Tokyo hospital. Kishida thanked medical staff and wrote in a tweet that he returned to his official residence on Saturday night. He says: “Difficult problems are mounting in and outside Japan right now. I will make sure to stay in great shape to tackle the problems.” Kishida has suffered plunging public support over his handling of a controversy involving his governing party’s ties with a religious group, resignations of ministers and top aides following a political funding scandal, gaffes and discriminatory remarks against sexual minorities. Local media referenced his stuffy nose at meetings, parliamentary sessions and news conferences and some speculated it was an aftereffect of COVID-19.