Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Prime Minister Holds a Meeting of the Headquarters for Countermeasures Against Pandemic Influenza as Part of the Comprehensive Drill to Test Responses to Pandemic Influenza

Prime Minister Taro Aso held a meeting of the Headquarters for Countermeasures Against Pandemic Influenza as part of the comprehensive drill at the Prime Minister's Office to test responses to pandemic influenza. The purposes of the drill were to confirm countermeasures by the central and local governments, as well as coordination among them, against pandemic influenza assumed to have occurred abroad, and to enhance public awareness. At the meeting, the Policy of Immediate Responses by the Government, centered on frontline measures, was confirmed.

Prime Minister Aso said, "The outbreak of pandemic influenza in Japan could seriously impact economic activities, not to mention the people's lives. Thus, the countermeasures should achieve two goals: to minimize damage to health and to prevent socio-economic systems from collapsing. Frontline measures play a particularly crucial role at the initial stage in delaying as long as possible the intrusion of a pandemic influenza virus from outside Japan, the policy of which have we confirmed today. That being ensured, we must take every possible countermeasure domestically in preparation for the intrusion. I ask that ministries work in close coordination, while gaining the understanding of the public, to ensure thorough countermeasures, with the recognition that in terms of national crisis management, countermeasures against pandemic influenza are important issues."

Related Link

• Pandemic Influenza and Avian Influenza (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)