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Japan's government has launched a new task force to fight a growing coronavirus outbreak. The move paves the way for the Prime Minister to declare a state of emergency based on a newly enacted law.

Shinzo Abe said, "In order to overcome the challenge our country is now facing, the state, local governments, medical workers, business operators and all residents need to be united and push ahead with measures to tackle the illness caused by the new coronavirus. I want the minister in charge of the special law, the health minister, and other relevant ministers to swiftly come up with basic guidelines."

A Japanese government panel has proposed fresh quarantine measures for foreign visitors and returning Japanese travelers to control the coronavirus outbreak.

The head of the panel, Takaji Wakita, told reporters on Tuesday that the group had submitted the request to the health ministry.

Japan's education minister says the government plans to announce standards on reopening schools by the end of March.

Koichi Hagiuda spoke to reporters on Tuesday about standards that municipalities across the country can refer to when deciding the timing to resume classes.

Japanese government officials are preparing to send out over 2.5 million face masks from their stockpiles to medical and other facilities facing a serious shortage due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The government decided to release the masks out of some 6.4 million kept at ministries and agencies in case of disasters or other emergencies.

A district court in Japan has ordered the government and Tokyo Electric Power Company to compensate citizens who say they lost their livelihoods after the 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The Sapporo District Court handed down the ruling on Tuesday. The case was brought by 257 people of 78 households who fled to the northern prefecture of Hokkaido from evacuation zones and other areas after the accident.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the government will implement a number of economic and fiscal policies to prop up the nation's economy.

He said they include the steady implementation of comprehensive stimulus measures worth 26 trillion yen, or about 250 billion dollars.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says the Japanese government will try to make its case to South Korea for Japan's request of a two-week quarantine period for those coming to Japan from South Korea and China.

Suga spoke to reporters on Friday. Seoul lodged a protest against Japan's move.

The Japanese government has decided to cancel the national memorial ceremony for the victims of the March 11, 2011, disaster because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The decision was made at a cabinet meeting on Friday. The government believes that this is a crucial time for containing the outbreak.

Japan's government is planning to cancel its national memorial ceremony for the victims of the March 11, 2011, earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The annual ceremony was due to take place on Wednesday next week, the ninth anniversary of the disaster.

Japan's government says it will pay up to about 80 dollars per person per day to businesses as income compensation for parents taking leave from work in response to temporary school closures that began nationwide.

The health and labor ministry on Monday revealed the details of a new subsidy system as the government strives to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the government will quickly draw up legislation to prepare for a worst-case scenario involving the new coronavirus outbreak.

Abe spoke to an Upper House committee on Monday about the request he had made to shut down schools across Japan from Monday until the start of the spring break.

The Japanese government is expected to carefully review arrangements with China for a planned visit by President Xi Jinping, including a possible postponement due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Japanese government maintains that at this moment it doesn't expect any changes in the schedule.

Japan's health ministry says it expects a medical test for the new coronavirus to cost 18,000 yen, or about 166 dollars, per person with public insurance.

Ministry officials gave the estimate at a briefing Friday for representatives of medical institutions, inspection companies and universities.

Japan's welfare ministry has asked local authorities to keep childcare facilities open while schools nationwide are closed amid the spread of the new coronavirus.

The request came on Thursday after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unveiled a plan earlier in the day to effectively ask all elementary, junior high, and senior high schools as well as special-needs schools across the country to start their spring holidays on Monday. The holiday period usually ends in early April.