Dealing with the coronavirus and promoting the digitization of society are the focus of the government's draft outline of the 2020 basic policy on economic and fiscal management and reform, it has been learned.
In the draft, the government recognizes that the coronavirus pandemic has presented Japan with "a situation that should be considered a national crisis the country has never experienced before."
In order to support the medical system, the outline expressly states a policy of "strategically expanding PCR testing, antigen testing and so forth," so that those judged by medical practitioners to be in need of such tests, and those who have had close contact with infected people can get tested.
The outline specifically mentions further utilizing private-sector entities to carry out tests, the establishment of PCR testing centers, and the promotion of tests using saliva. In preparation for the full-fledged resumption of travel between Japan and other countries, the outline also states the government "will greatly strengthen the quarantine inspection system."
The draft also sets the targets of accelerating research and development of therapeutic drugs and vaccines, developing domestic production systems for them at an early stage, advancing procurement of the required amounts of drugs, and building up systems for vaccination.
With regard to the digitization of society as a whole, the outline points out that "the delay in efforts up until now has been brought to the fore once again." The outline says the government will "within this year intensively reform how the relevant organizations should be, including their systems, policies and administration," and "manage the progress in implementing policies and carrying out digitization across society." The outline also states "the creation of a new command function" for digitization at the Cabinet Secretariat that will include private-sector experts as its members.
In the education sphere, the outline states the need for carrying out "the systematic development of careful guidance through small classes" at elementary and middle schools. In order to avoid the so-called 3Cs -- closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings -- the idea of realizing smaller classes will be studied, the outline says, with a view to reducing the standard class size from the current 40 students per class to 30 students.
With regard to economic and fiscal management in future, the outline does not stipulate a target of bringing the primary fiscal balance into the black by fiscal 2025. On the other hand, the outline says the content of the 2019 basic policy "will be implemented steadily," even though there is no mention of its specifics in this year's policy.
This year, the government has narrowed down the content to challenges such as responding to COVID-19, an attempt at reforming the basic policy -- otherwise called the "big-boned" policy -- which has become swollen in past years. The number of pages in this year's draft are less than half of last year.
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