Seven nurses from Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force are being sent to two medical centers in Osaka Prefecture to help deal with a surge in coronavirus infections at the request of the prefectural government.

A departure ceremony was held on Monday at Camp Itami of the GSDF's Middle Army in Itami City in Hyogo Prefecture.

Japan's Defense Minister says Self-Defense Force medical staff will be sent to Osaka Prefecture early next week to help deal with a surge in coronavirus infections.

Kishi Nobuo told a news conference on Friday that Osaka Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi had made an official request for SDF nurses.

Japan's defense minister has ordered the Self-Defense Forces to send medical teams to a city in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido to help deal with a surge in coronavirus cases.

Kishi Nobuo said at a news conference on Tuesday that he received an official request from the governor of Hokkaido for a dispatch of SDF medical personnel to Asahikawa City.

Japanese health ministry officials say passengers on the government-chartered flight will receive medical examinations on board.

The passengers will be divided depending on whether they have such symptoms as coughing and fever.