Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga stressed that vaccinations are effective against the delta variant of the novel coronavirus at a press conference at the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday.
Referring to the rising vaccination rate, the prime minister noted, "We are beginning to see the light."
Suga held the press conference after the government decided to expand the state of emergency to deal with COVID-19.
"With the cooperation of the people, we will do whatever it takes to overcome this crisis," he said. Suga then announced that the government plans to decide by the end of this week on the use of 1.4 trillion yen from a reserve fund.
The money will be spent on the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines and medicine for the disease, as well as support funds to ailing households and others.
With the 1.4 trillion yen, about half of the reserve fund, which was originally 5 trillion yen, will have been used.
He also referred to dissolution of the House of Representatives, saying, "There are very few options. I have often said that the highest priority is on coping with the novel coronavirus. I would like to decide [when to dissolve the lower house]."
He said nothing has been decided as for appointments to the Liberal Democratic Party's top posts before the lower house election.
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