In order to strengthen countermeasures against the new coronavirus, the government has decided to set up a task force on Friday based on the revised law on special measures to counter new strains of influenza to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.
Under the special measures law, a health, labor and welfare minister is to report on the "high risks of an epidemic" to the prime minister before a task force is set up to deal with the problem. Health Minister Katsunobu Kato is expected to submit a report within this week.
The establishment of the state task force enables prefectural governments to create their own task forces, headed by governors, to facilitate cooperation between the central and local governments. After the task force is established, a expert panel will hold a meeting for the government to draw up basic countermeasures against the new coronavirus.
The Advisory Committee on Basic Action Policies, which sits under the expert panel, will examine whether the current state of outbreak in Japan would require a declaration of emergency.
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