TOKYO: Japanese health minister TAMURA Norihisa on Sunday reiterated the government’s resolve to continue fighting the novel coronavirus after its second state of emergency over the virus is fully lifted at the end of the day. 

“We’ll fight the virus in a new stage after the emergency is removed,” Tamura said in a television program, adding, “We’ll determined to reduce infections by implementing measures under five pillars set by the government.”

The five pillars, adopted in line with the government’s decision to fully remove the state of emergency, includes reinforcing surveillance of variants of the novel coronavirus, which are believed to be more contagious than the original strain.

Regarding coronavirus testing on people from countries and regions where mutant strains are spreading, and health and activity management for such visitors during their stays in Japan, Tamura said that the government is considering taking the measures on people from all countries.

The minister also said that the government will fully provide people in Japan with information about vaccinations against the coronavirus as inoculations are slated to begin in April for elderly and other people, on top of medical workers. “People living in areas where they are not registered as residents must also be fully informed about vaccinations,” Tamura said, referring to students living away from their hometowns and others.

Japan’s coronavirus vaccination program started in February, first targeting medical workers.

The second state of emergency, issued in January, now covers Tokyo and neighboring Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures. Seven other prefectures had been under the emergency temporarily.

JIJI Press