TOKYO: Japanese Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Justice Ministry said Sunday.

Furukawa became the second Japanese cabinet minister confirmed with the virus, after Seiko Noda, minister in charge of measures against the declining birthrate, whose infection was announced on Friday.

The justice minister was scheduled to visit Poland as a special envoy of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida from Friday to learn the needs of Ukrainian evacuees who fled to Poland to escape Russia’s invasion of their country. But the trip was canceled because at least one member of his family was infected with the novel coronavirus and he could be a close contact. Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi flew to Poland in place of Furukawa.

According to the Justice Ministry, Furukawa took an antigen test for COVID-19 and was confirmed positive for the virus on Sunday. He is currently recovering at home.

JIJI Press