HIROSHIMA: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged citizens on August 6 to take thorough measures to prevent new coronavirus infection during the “Bon” holiday period in mid-August.

“I want to ask people to make sure to take basic infection prevention measures when visiting parents’ homes” during the Bon period, Abe told a press conference in the western Japan city of Hiroshima. He noted such measures as avoiding the three Cs of closed, crowded and close contact settings and not speaking loudly.

“We’re not in a situation that requires the government to declare a state of emergency immediately over the virus,” Abe said, even though the number of new infection cases is surging again nationwide.

It was the first time for the prime minister to hold a press conference since June 18, right after the end of this year’s ordinary session of the Diet, Japan’s parliament.

Regarding trips to hometowns, Abe also called on people to refrain from events at high risks of infection, such as dining in a large group, and take extra care to protect elderly people from the virus.

“Handling (the virus crisis) is extremely challenging, but we’ll take necessary measures swiftly to avoid a situation that forces us to declare a state of emergency again,” Abe said. 

The prime minister indicated the government’s stance of pushing ahead with the Go To Travel subsidy program to promote tourism, which began last month.

We hope a new and safe style of travel will take root in Japan in the era of COVID-19,” Abe said, while asking both tourism-related businesses and travelers to take measures to prevent a further spread of the virus.

Abe expressed deep regret over the indictment of former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai for alleged vote buying for his wife, Anri, in her campaign for the July 2019 election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, in violation of the public offices election law.

“I feel keen responsibility as the person who appointed him as justice minister,” he said, using the same expression as in his earlier remarks on the case.

On a recent Hiroshima District Court ruling that recognized all plaintiffs as suffering health damage from their exposure to so-called radioactive black rain that fell in the immediate aftermath of the U.S. atomic bombing on Aug. 6, 1945, Abe only said related ministries are holding talks with the prefectural and city governments of Hiroshima to work out government responses.

Earlier on August 6, Abe attended the annual peace memorial ceremony in Hiroshima to remember the victims of the bombing 75 years ago.

Abe stopped short of detailing his plan on the reshuffle of the cabinet and the leadership team of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which is expected to take place by the end of September.

“At the moment, the government is making all-out efforts to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. It is too early to talk about personnel affairs,” he said.

JIJI Press