
TOKYO: Japanese Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Tuesday his ministry is expanding teleworking and staggered work hours as the new coronavirus from China continues spreading.
The Environment Ministry "will keep its operations going while taking measures to lower the risk of infections," Koizumi told a press conference after the day's cabinet meeting.
Vice Environment Minister Hiroshi Kamagata is working remotely on Tuesday instead of showing up at the ministry's building, Koizumi noted.
"I think there are things ministry workers can do even when they are away from their workplaces," the minister said. It is important to take advantage of this occasion to review the ministry's operations, he added.
JIJI Press