Abe To Hold News Conference On Friday
Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is making arrangements to hold a news conference at the prime minister's office on Friday. He is expected to mention his health, as he has recently undergone medical checks.
This will be Abe's first news conference since the one he gave in Nagasaki City on August 9. It will also be the first one at the prime minister's office since June 18. That was one day after the end of the ordinary Diet session.
Regarding the coronavirus outbreak, the Japanese government has been advising people infected with the virus to be hospitalized. The government has also been actively conducting epidemiological studies.
But officials are planning to review the steps they have taken in order to deal with the large number of cases that involve people with no or light symptoms.
Abe is expected to explain at the news conference that his government plans to allow social and economic activities to continue. He is also expected to explain that steps will be taken to secure medical systems ahead of the winter season. There are fears that another wave of the coronavirus epidemic and an outbreak of influenza could occur simultaneously during the winter. The prime minister will likely say that the government plans to boost virus testing systems before the flu season begins.
Abe is also expected to make comments about his health. The prime minister has visited a hospital for tests twice during the last two weeks.
The opposition camp is calling for an extraordinary Diet session to be convened at an early date. It is also calling for intensive deliberations to be held at the Diet's budget committee meeting next week, and it wants the prime minister to be in attendance.
