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On March 1, 2020, the Prime Minister held the 16th meeting of the Novel Coronavirus Response Headquarters at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
At the meeting, a discussion was held on the response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
 
Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,
 
“We have already requested elementary schools, junior high schools and senior high schools as well as schools for special needs education to close temporarily. This measure was determined with priority put on the health and safety of children above all. Concerning the various issues that may arise due to this, the Government will take responsibility and respond to them. The Government will spare no effort, including from a fiscal aspect, to support the efforts of local governments, including the establishment of a subsidy scheme for parents who are forced to take leave from work for their children and the introduction of after-school care programs.
 
For business operators who are economically impacted by the soaring outbreaks and those who have canceled events or temporarily ceased their operations in response to the Government’s requests, we will establish a mechanism to listen directly to their voices on the challenges they face. We intend to thoroughly implement measures, such as by providing strong liquidity support, taking into consideration the impacts on local economies.
 
Furthermore, we will materialize necessary response measures that include the development of a medical treatment structure, such as securing more than 5,000 hospital beds and installing the necessary facilities.
 
I ask you to swiftly compile a second emergency policy package that includes these measures, with a target date around March 10, utilizing this fiscal year’s contingency funds which amount to more than 270 billion yen.
 
Moreover, in Hokkaido, where infections are spreading, a state of emergency was issued and the residents are being called to refrain from going outside. Amidst this situation, the need for facial masks in particular is increasing from the perspective of the prevention of infections among residents. In light of such a situation and the request from Governor of Hokkaido Suzuki, we intend to deliver facial masks that the Government has made a lump-sum purchase of to the residents of the municipalities in Hokkaido, where the number of patients are increasing. We have decided to instruct manufacturers of facial masks to sell them to the Government, pursuant to the Act on Emergency Measures for Stabilizing Living Conditions of the Public. I ask the relevant Ministries and Agencies, including the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, to start working on specific measures so as to deliver facial masks to the residents as early as possible.
 
We will also compile the measures that are considered to be the best at this point in time, on responses to minimize the risk of infections at specific places with a high likelihood of group infection, listening to the views of experts. In particular, please refrain from activities at places with poor ventilation or a high concentration of people as well as venues or formats in which an unspecified number of people might come into contact with each other, such as fitness centers or buffet-style receptions. Even when holding events, I ask the hosts to avoid creating a space with poor ventilation, no matter the size of the event, and review the format and other aspects so as not to create a situation where people converse with each other at close proximity.
 
Finally, we are frequently updating the websites of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and others, so as to provide information related to novel coronavirus (COVID-19), including these responses, in a more easy-to-understand manner. I would definitely like the public to make full use of it. I ask each Minister to continue strengthening such communication efforts under your leadership to provide relevant information swiftly and in an easy-to-understand manner to the public.”