Following the Japan Medical Association, regional medical associations also pressure Abe: "State of emergency must be extended"

On the 27th (local time), as the deliberation on the supplementary budget bill officially began at the Japanese House of Representatives plenary session, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the meeting wearing a mask.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Following the Japanese Medical Association's call for the government to extend the state of emergency declared in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the National Governors' Association also stepped up pressure.

The National Governors' Association, composed of governors from 47 prefectures (meaning metropolitan and provincial governments), held a video conference on the 29th to discuss the extension of the state of emergency declared nationwide until the 6th of next month. Kyodo News reported that the National Governors' Association is expected to prepare an urgent proposal recommending the government extend the state of emergency period.

Shinji Hirai, governor of Tottori Prefecture, stated at the meeting that if the state of emergency is lifted in some areas, "new movements of people will occur," and thus advocated for the extension of the state of emergency declared nationwide. Yuriko Koike, governor of Tokyo Metropolis, also told reporters before the meeting, "Tokyo is still in a difficult situation," and said, "I want the period of the state of emergency to be extended."

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency on the 7th targeting Tokyo and seven other prefectures, and on the 16th expanded the state of emergency to all regions nationwide. The Japanese government plans to decide whether to extend the state of emergency, which is currently set to expire on the 6th of next month, by considering the trend of COVID-19 confirmed cases, expert opinions, and the degree of pressure on the medical system.

At a parliamentary session on the same day, Prime Minister Abe stated, "I think the difficult situation continues, but I cannot make a judgment on whether to extend the state of emergency here and now," expressing his intention to listen to experts' opinions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.