TOKYO: In line with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's nationwide school closure request last week following the outbreak of the new coronavirus, 98.8 pct of all municipally run elementary schools in Japan have started extraordinary breaks, education ministry data showed Wednesday.

Of the 19,161 such elementary schools across the country, 18,923 are now closed, according to the data.

Meanwhile, 316 elementary and junior high schools in 20 municipalities have decided not to shut.

Among prefecture-run institutions, 3,314 high schools were closed in 46 of Japan's 47 prefectures, excluding Shimane in the western part of the country, according to the data. So were 869 special-needs schools in 45 prefectures, excluding the eastern prefecture of Saitama and Shimane.

On Thursday last week, the prime minister called for all elementary, junior high and senior high schools, and special-needs schools, to be shut from Monday, in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Based on Abe's request, the ministry on Friday instructed local education boards to shut schools from Monday until the start of the regular spring break while allowing each local government to make decisions on whether to actually close schools and the duration of the closures.

The ministry data included schools closed before Monday and those planning to close on Thursday or later.

Of public institutions, 53 pct of elementary schools, 54 pct of junior high schools and 78 pct of high schools shut on Monday. The number of public schools that closed on Tuesday and Wednesday was second and third highest, respectively.

The data also showed that 50 pct of elementary and junior high schools, and 32 pct of high schools plan to close for between three weeks and less than four weeks, while 23 pct of elementary and junior high schools, and 20 pct of high schools plan to do so for between two weeks and less than three weeks.

All national elementary, junior high and high schools, and about 90 pct of privately run elementary, junior high and high schools have decided to suspend.

JIJI Press