Japan enacts laws to punish violators of antivirus measures

Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-03 20:04:48|Editor: huaxia

TOKYO, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Japan's parliament enacted laws on Wednesday, making it possible for fines to be imposed on individuals and businesses not complying with measures imposed to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The bills that revise the coronavirus special measures law and the infectious disease law clearing the upper chamber on Wednesday come a day after Japan announced the state of emergency in place for Tokyo and other regions hard hit by the novel coronavirus will be extended by one month until March 7.

The state of emergency initially declared by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Jan. 7 will be extended for 10 of the 11 previously affected regions including Tokyo's neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa, as well as Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Fukuoka, Aichi and Gifu prefectures.

Tochigi Prefecture will not be subjected to the extension and will have the state of emergency lifted on Feb. 7, as cases there have subsided markedly.

The government is hoping the new laws, which will come into effect next week, making it possible to impose fines on people and businesses thwarting requests to follow the country's measures to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, may help its plight in fighting the virus' spread.

The laws will now make it possible for the government to slap fines of 500,000 yen (4,700 U.S. dollars) on COVID-19 carriers who refuse hospitalization, and penalties of up to 300,000 yen on those who do not comply with health officials' surveys.

According to Japanese health minister Norihisa Tamura, dozens of municipalities have reported instances of (COVID-19 positive) people refusing to be hospitalized or escaping from care.

"We have incorporated penalties to ensure the effectiveness of antivirus measures," Tamura told an upper house committee.

Businesses, such as bars and restaurants, that refuse to shorten their opening hours and close earlier under the newly-extended state of emergency could be fined 300,000 yen.

Businesses in areas not under a state of emergency but where anti-virus requests have been made by local prefectures, meanwhile, could be slapped with a 200,000 yen fine for non-compliance.

The revisions made to Japan's coronavirus special measures law and the infectious diseases law to introduce the penalties passed the lower house on Monday. Enditem

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