Govt. Plans To Declare Emergency For 7 Prefectures


Govt. plans to declare emergency for 7 prefectures

Japan's government plans to declare a state of emergency due to the coronavirus outbreak for Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday.

The government will hear opinions from an advisory panel before issuing the declaration that will be based on a recently enacted law.

The declaration will cover the following prefectures: Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka. It is expected to be in place for about a month.

The declaration will give the governors of these prefectures the power to request residents refrain from non-essential outings. The governors will also be able to request residents cooperate with measures to prevent the further spread of the virus.

The governors can request or order school closures and restrictions on the operations of department stores, cinemas and other places where many people gather.

They will also be given authority to use land and buildings without consent from their owners to build temporary medical facilities.

In case of an emergency, the governors can order logistics companies to deliver medical supplies and equipment. They can also expropriate medical supplies if necessary.