While steadily promoting economic activities, the government must prevent infections with the novel coronavirus from spreading again. It needs to present clear strategies to do so.
The House of Representatives Budget Committee held deliberations on measures against the virus while the Diet is out of session.
Concerning an increase in the number of infections in Tokyo, Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of economic revitalization, said, "Having people actively take PCR tests prevents secondary infections," stressing that the situation in Tokyo is different from that in April when the infections were more widely spreading. He also stated, "The overall provision of medical services is not getting tight."
It is true that the majority of those infected with the virus are in their 20s and 30s, an age range for which the rate of serious cases is lower compared to that of other generations. However, it is not a situation that can be viewed as optimistic. Mass infections of the virus have occurred in theaters, nursery schools and other places that have given rise to clusters in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Infection cases that have spread from Tokyo to other regions are also noticeable.
An increase in the number of infected people could heighten the risk to elderly people, among others, who tend to easily fall into serious illness. If the infections spread to hospitals and nursing care facilities, the medical system will suddenly descend into a severe situation.
It is an important challenge to get economic activities back in orbit. To this end, the central government is urged to work out strategies that are compatible with the prevention of the spread of the virus and obtain the wider understanding of the public. In cooperation with prefectural governments, the central government should consider, among other measures, requesting eating and drinking establishments that have yet to take necessary measures to suspend their operations.
Sumio Mabuchi, a member of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, called for the postponement of a project to subsidize travel expenses through the "Go To Campaign" as the project could spread infections to various parts of the country.
Nishimura said by way of explanation, "The government plans to start the project with thorough measures to prevent infections among tourism operators and tourists as a basic step."
Under the emergency economic stimulus package that the government decided on in April, the project will be implemented "after the infections are brought under control." But the present situation is one in which an expansion of infections could arise again.
The National Governors' Association has proposed not spreading the scope of the project uniformly, but in a gradual manner. If infections spread in rural areas, vulnerable local medical services would suffer harm. Conversely, there is a fear that it could deter tourists and hamper economic revitalization.
Is it possible that tourist spots nationwide will take every possible measure against the spread of the virus? It is essential for the central government to consider how to proceed with the project, taking into account local circumstances.
The ruling and opposition parties agreed to hold standing committees of both houses of the Diet once a week after the Diet session ended in June. It is hoped that they will delve into discussions on the system for virus testing and effective economic stimulus measures.
Opposition parties called for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and related ministers to attend the committee meetings, but the ruling parties did not respond to the request. It is important for the prime minister to actively explain the central government's policy to deal with the issue and its recognition of the current situation. The government has a responsibility to properly disseminate information and make efforts to dispel public anxiety.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on July 16, 2020.
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