TOKYO: A House of Representatives committee Wednesday passed a bill to revise a law in order to step up Japan's fight against the novel coronavirus.

The bill to revise the law on special measures to combat new strains of influenza passed the Lower House Cabinet Committee by a majority vote.

The Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling camp approved the bill, as did the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party). The Japanese Communist Party rejected the bill.

The bill is expected to clear the all-important chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, Thursday and the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, the following day. The revision is seen entering into force Friday.

The revision will add COVID-19 to the list of infectious diseases covered by the existing law for up to two years from its implementation.

The revised law would allow the prime minister to declare a state of emergency in the event of a rapid spread of coronavirus infections nationwide.

If such a declaration is made, prefectural governors would request local residents not to go out and impose restrictions on the use of facilities where many people gather.

"Such measures would put restrictions on private rights, so we need to collect opinions from experts to decide whether to make such a declaration," said Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, in charge of the bill.

"We're asking for a revision just in case," he said, denying that the current situation requires such a declaration.

A supplementary resolution attached to the bill, also approved by the committee by a majority vote, stipulates that the government give prior notice to the Diet in principle when such a declaration is made.

JIJI Press