(On the COVID-19 infection situation and other matters)
The trend of increasing numbers of infections is absolutely clear and we recognize it as very severe. Together with Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato, Minister Tamura, and Minister Nishimura, I sorted out the situation on their respective fronts and once again instructed them to thoroughly cooperate with local governments and ensure that necessary medical services are available over the New Year holidays.

The fundamentals of infection prevention measures are wearing masks, washing your hands, and avoiding the 3Cs (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings). I would like to ask the residents of Tokyo and the surrounding areas to refrain from going out for non-essential or non-urgent reasons.

 (On the possibility of declaring a state of emergency)
 I think it is essential to first ensure the availability of medical services and do everything in our capacity to prevent the spread of infections.

 (More on the possibility of declaring a state of emergency)
 I have nothing to add to what I said earlier.