Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Wednesday that supplies of face masks will likely top 100 million per week.

Japan faces an acute shortage of face masks following the outbreak of the new coronavirus in China.

Japan plans to dispatch a chartered plane to the Chinese city of Wuhan to repatriate Japanese citizens trapped there due to the coronavirus outbreak as soon as an agreement is reached with China on the flight.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Tuesday that the government is planning to return Japanese nationals who wish to leave the central Chinese city. Suga said his government is coordinating with China to send an All Nippon Airways aircraft to Wuhan to facilitate the evacuation.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says the country will continue taking steps to prevent the spread of pneumonia that is caused by a new strain of coronavirus.

Suga spoke to reporters on Wednesday. He said Japan has to be more vigilant against a possible outbreak in the country, as the disease is spreading in China.

The Japanese government's top spokesperson has said a Maritime Self-Defense Force ship will receive supplies at a port in the Middle East on waters where an information-gathering mission is planned. But he did not name a specific port.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Wednesday about a government plan to send the destroyer Takanami to the area next month. The ship will gather information to ensure the safety of commercial ships with ties to Japan.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has reiterated a goal of welcoming 40 million visitors by the end of the year.

Suga addressed a government panel Wednesday at the prime minister's office to promote a tourism strategy.