TOKYO: Although Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and the governors of three neighboring prefectures have requested an emergency declaration by the state over the coronavirus epidemic, the Japanese government remains skeptical about the effectiveness of such a declaration in containing the viral spread.

The government is rather eager to prioritize the planned revision to the special measures law for tackling the pandemic in order to enhance the effectiveness of infection prevention measures, according to informed sources.

“The government will consider the request” for an emergency declaration, economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is in charge of the government’s coronavirus responses, told reporters after a meeting with the four governors on Saturday.

At the same time, the minister indicated the government’s stance of carefully judging whether to make the declaration after hearing the opinions of experts at a meeting of a government subcommittee on coronavirus responses that will be held shortly.

The governors made the request for an emergency declaration as the COVID-19 outbreak in the Tokyo metropolitan area is showing no sign of abating. The declaration, based on the special measures law, will give prefectural authorities the power to take stronger measures, including issuing business suspension requests.

Since the beginning of a third wave of infections in the country, the government has been cautious about declaring a state of emergency, as the step would stop social and economic activities and may further chill the economy.

When Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga held a press conference on Dec. 25, he stressed that Japanese people can change their behavior without an emergency declaration, suggesting that the government is negative about making the declaration.

However, the number of new infection cases soared toward the year-end and New Year holiday period, with the nationwide daily count topping 4,500 on Thursday to hit a new record high.

Taking the situation seriously, Suga discussed with related cabinet ministers what action should be taken even on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. On Saturday, he summoned senior health ministry officials to the prime minister’s office to get the latest information on the country’s infection situation.

Even under such circumstances, the government is still ambivalent about declaring a state of emergency, believing that strongly requesting restaurants and other establishments to suspend their operations or shorten their business hours would be more effective in curbing the infection spread.

When Nishimura met with the four governors on Saturday, he once again sought the prefectural governments’ cooperation in efforts to fight the epidemic.

Some within the central government are unhappy about how prefectures are responding to the spread of infections. “The Tokyo metropolitan government makes no move,” an official related to the central government said. “The situation will not change even if a state of emergency is declared.”

If the state makes the declaration by accepting the request from the prefectural governors, the public may perceive that the Suga government admitted the failure of its coronavirus measures. Observers say such a development would inevitably give a fresh blow to the prime minister, who is already suffering from a fall in the approval rate for his cabinet.

The government plans to speed up the work to draw up a bill to revise the special measures law so that it can be submitted to parliament during an ordinary session expected to be convened on Jan. 18. The law revision is likely to be aimed at introducing penalties on businesses that fail to follow authorities’ requests to shorten operating hours. The government hopes to have the revised law enacted by the end of this month.

“The government’s decision to declare a state of emergency, if any, will come after the effectiveness of related measures are ensured under the revised law,” an official close to Suga said.

JIJI Press