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On April 16, 2020, the Prime Minister held the 29th meeting of the Novel Coronavirus Response Headquarters at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
At the meeting, the participants discussed the response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
 
Following the discussion, the Prime Minister said,
 
“Today, with the endorsement of the Advisory Committee on the Basic Action Policy, we expand the areas where measures under the declaration of a state of emergency issued on April 7 shall be implemented, from seven prefectures to all prefectures. There is no change to the duration of implementation, which is until May 6. Firstly, in the six prefectures of Hokkaido, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Gifu, Aichi and Kyoto, the novel coronavirus disease has spread to to roughly the same degree as in the seven prefectures currently subject to the declaration. In the prefectures besides these, the movement of people from urban areas and other factors have resulted in cluster infections, and we see a trend of the spread of infections. In light of this, with a view to controlling the spread of infections in the regions, in particular minimizing the movement of people during the Golden Week holiday period, we have decided to designate all prefectures subject to measures under a state of emergency.
 
Hereafter as we head towards the Golden Week holidays, I request all prefectural governments to urge residents to strictly avoid people moving between prefectures, for non-essential, non-urgent trips back to their hometowns, travel, or other reasons. . When there is a possibility of people gathering at tourist facilities or other places, , I request that the respective local governments take appropriate measures, including urging these facilities to limit the number of people who enter. As I have stated before, in order to move on from the state of emergency in the time remaining until May 6, we must, no matter what, achieve the reduction in people to people contact at least by 70%, ideally by 80%. While this is posing an inconvenience for the public, I ask for the continued cooperation in order to prevent the further spread of infections.
 
By expanding the state of emergency nationwide, we are asking the entire public for further cooperation. Within our emergency economic measures, we had planned a measure to provide a cash paymentt of 300,000 yen each to households in need, whose revenues have declined significantly. At this juncture, instead of this, we believe that we need to expand the scope of those eligible for such support. We are asking the ruling parties to review this so as to include cash payment of 100,000 yen per person for all the citizens nationwide, in light of them having various activities restricted, such as by practicing voluntary restraint from going out, as a result of this declaration of a state of emergency.
 
In order to overcome this situation, which can be called a national crisis,  truly all of Japan—the national and local governments, medical practitioners, experts, business operators, and indeed all people nationwide—must unite in tackling this issue.. I ask that each of you continue to exert every possible effort to implement measures in accordance with the new basic action policy approved today.”