TOKYO: Experts will make an interim assessment on the effects of the Japanese government's state of emergency declaration over the coronavirus outbreak in about two weeks after its extension, economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said in a television program Sunday.

As the situation will likely vary by region, the government wants to make appropriate judgments about coming responses based the assessment, Nishimura said.

The government is slated to decide Monday to extend the nationwide state of emergency by about a month beyond its current expiration date of Wednesday.

Elsewhere in the TV program, Nishimura reiterated the government's readiness to consider revising a special law for the fight against the virus crisis to impose punishment on businesses defying shutdown requests under the law.

Appearing in a separate TV program also on Sunday, Nishimura said the government plans to present numerical guidelines that may be used for deciding how and when to terminate the emergency declaration.

JIJI Press