Behind the scenes of Corona “3rd Wave” leader “Decision”

"Who decides what by when? I have a sense of crisis."

Tokyo, the capital city with a population of 14 million.

Governor Yuriko Koike, the governor of Tokyo, responded with a stern look to our solo interview asking "the role of the leader in the crisis."

A medical system that approaches its limits, and restaurants that are cornered by requests for shorter working hours.

This corona sickness reaffirmed that the judgment of the national and local governments is directly linked to our lives and livelihoods.

We will get behind the scenes of the leaders' decisions through close coverage of the site and interviews with Governor Koike and the minister in charge.

(NHK Special Pandemic World of Turbulence "Decisions of Leaders Asked" Interview Group)

"Go To Travel" Required Judgment

We started interviewing Tokyo in early November last year.

Every day, the number of infected people exceeded 200, and the third wave became a reality.

Tokyo has been searching for a balance between infection prevention and economic activities.

At that time, the debate was what to do with the "Go To Travel" project promoted by the country.

Go To project started in July under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

According to the material summarizing the recommendations of the government subcommittee, it is stated that the procedure for suspending the business "needs to be coordinated by the government with the prefectures", but specific procedures have been established. I didn't.

Under these circumstances, when the infection began to spread in Tokyo, the country began to show the attitude of entrusting the decision of suspension to the capital.

In late November, the minister in charge of economic revitalization, Nishimura, who is in charge of measures against the new corona, told reporters, "I would like the governor, who has the best understanding of the infection situation and bed situation in the region, to make a firm decision first." It was.

On the other hand, Governor Koike was asked by reporters about the attitude of the country and answered, "I would like the country to make a firm decision, and I think that is the responsibility."

Tokyo "Go To is mainly the country"

At that time, the stance of Tokyo was that "Go To projects are mainly national and not judged by the capital."

An executive in the city told us, "Go To was all decided by the government in the first place. If it becomes inconvenient, we will leave it to the prefecture. This time, the city requested a total suspension. That's not the case, because the government doesn't want it to stop. "

What did the country think about the decision to suspend?

In our interview, Minister Nishimura emphasized the attitude that "it was necessary to keep the national and local governments in line."

"I have been responding by communicating with the national government and the capital while checking the status of infection and the status of beds. I also check the data every day and receive opinions from experts, but the governor is the one who knows the most. So, while respecting that intention, I have been working closely with them, thinking that sometimes I might push my back. "

Governor Koike "I told you that Tokyo should do this."

On the other hand, we also told Governor Koike, "What kind of opinion did the Tokyo Metropolitan Government give to the country, and what kind of reply did the country give?" Did you feel that? "

Governor Koike said, "I would like to clearly state that there have been reports that emphasized only the differences from the country," and said, "However, when and how to move the Go To business. I have to think about it while looking at the whole thing. In that, I said that Tokyo should do this, "he said.

Infection route unknown 60% Tracking of close contacts cannot keep up

In December, the infection in Tokyo spread further as the Go To business continued.

The number of seriously ill persons has also become the highest since the state of emergency was lifted in April last year.

Under these circumstances, the functions of health centers in Tokyo, which are responsible for the containment of infections, were approaching their limits.

We interviewed a public health center in Edogawa Ward.

I am in charge of tracking close contacts for people who are found to be infected.

We were strengthening our system by increasing the number of public health nurses who deal with infectious diseases in response to the tight experience of personnel in the first and second waves.

However, in the 23 wards, where people come and go across the wards, it was difficult to follow the infection route.

Every time an infection is found, a request is sent to another ward with different jurisdiction.

In the first wave of April, about 40% of infected people had unknown routes in Tokyo.

It reached 60% on December 10th.

The person in charge said, "The amount of work is large. Unless there is a request, each local government does not move. It may take longer than the patient survey," he said. It was.

Mitsuo Kaku, a specially appointed professor at Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, who chairs the expert meeting in Tokyo, told us on December 10 that "the infection will occur even if we suppress the economics a little at this time. It may be necessary to make a decision to prevent it from spreading, "he said with a sense of crisis." I would like to talk with the governor of Tokyo. "

State of emergency or additional time saving request

Mid-December, when the number of infected people per day exceeded 800 for the first time.

Tokyo was forced to make a decision.

A government subcommittee had suggested that restaurants need to be opened in shorter hours.

By this time, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government had already requested a reduction in time by 10 pm, but the country had requested that it be advanced by 8 pm.

Governor Koike told reporters, "If (restaurants) cooperate, it would be better, but I think the reality is quite difficult." "The effect is limited only by strengthening the time saving request." It's a target. "

Tokyo “Additional time saving request is set with state of emergency”

On the other hand, Governor Koike had many meetings with the government and LDP executives.

The Special Measures Law stipulates that the state has the authority to issue a state of emergency.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government said that if there was no declaration, it would be less effective to make a further time saving request, and thought that the additional time saving request was just a set with the declaration.

An official from the city responded to the interview as follows.

"The governor has told the government that he intends to request a state of emergency, but the response is unresponsive

,

"

said another

source.

"The pressure from the country is great. Business hours in terms of infectious disease control. I know that the shorter it is, the better, but what is the loss and effect of it? "

Country “I want to avoid a state of emergency as much as possible”

Meanwhile, the country wanted to avoid a state of emergency as much as possible.

This is because the economy suffered serious damage when the declaration was issued in April last year.

Given that some local governments have been effective with time-saving requests based on their knowledge so far, I thought that the capital should first respond with further time-saving requests.

A government official told us, "It's natural for the government to ask for advancement. It has been effective in other areas, and experts emphasized that it is necessary. But responding. He didn't give me. Is Tokyo devoted to political bargaining and willing to take measures seriously? "

What happened in the three-hour discussion that moved

Things changed on January 2nd.

Governor Koike negotiated directly with Minister Nishimura with the governors of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa prefectures.

The discussion lasted three hours.

Minister Nishimura looked back on the discussion as follows.

"I have repeatedly told each of the three prefectures that I should move forward until 8:00 pm. On the other hand, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government cannot easily respond to the request for a shorter time until 10:00 pm, which is the afternoon. It was about whether they would respond at 8 o'clock, or how effective it would be. There was also an argument from the governor's side that it would be difficult to hear without a sign saying an emergency declaration. "

And the second state of emergency

The state of emergency was declared on January 7th.

In Tokyo, the number of infected people increased sharply from the end of the year to the beginning of the year, reaching 2,400 at once on the 7th.

At hospitals in Tokyo, many people lost their lives without being able to meet their families for the last time.

In Tokyo, the medical system continues to be tight, and further measures are required.

Under such circumstances, Governor Koike appeared on YouTuber's Fischer's and online videos with more than 6.5 million subscribers in late January.

Governor Koike sent a message that Fischer's was born in Katsushika Ward and said, "I have no choice but to beat Corona (Katsushika)!"

One of the measures to stop the spread of the infection is to call on the younger generation, who are said to be asymptomatic and may spread the infection unknowingly, to change their behavior.

Governor Koike continues to seek access to generations who do not watch newspapers or television.

What will the leaders' decisions bring?

A state of emergency has been extended by one month from the 7th of this month.

What decisions will national and local leaders make as the fight against Corona continues?

And what does that decision bring to our lives and lives?

I think we have to keep an eye on it.