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On May 19, 2020, the Prime Minister held the 44th meeting of the Council on National Strategic Special Zones at the Prime Minister’s Office.

At the meeting, the participants discussed an additional issue related to regulatory reforms.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,

“Today, towards the building of a new mode of daily life with IT, such as online medical consultations and distance education, we received a briefing from the representatives of Osaka, Narita City, and Yabu City spoke on their challenges and proposals on regulatory reforms.

While firmly controlling the risk of infection from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), we will restore socio-economic activities in earnest at the same time. In order to establish a new normal for everyday life in this regard, it is vital to make active use of IT.

Since last month, restrictions on telephone and online medical consultations, which include initial consultations, have already been fully lifted. This is extremely important from the perspective of preventing hospital-acquired infections, as well as for avoiding situations such that those who are worried about the risk of infection hold off on seeking medical consultations.

During a crisis, we must turn adversity into opportunity and undertake bold reforms without being constrained by conventional thinking. By taking this opportunity, we will make remote options available in every field of society, such as online medical consultations. By doing so, we will create a new normal for everyday life that looks to the future.

To that end, we will mobilize all resources of the Government, including the Council on National Strategic Special Zones and Council for Promotion of Regulatory Reform, to further accelerate the necessary regulatory and institutional reforms. Accordingly, I ask Minister Kitamura and the relevant Ministers, as well as the relevant ministries and agencies, to work as one and exert every effort.”