Amendments to the Act on Special Measures for New Coronavirus Measures were passed at the House of Councilors plenary session, and were approved by the majority of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Komeito Party, the Constitutional Democratic Party, and the Nippon Ishin no Kai.
The revised law was promulgated on the 3rd and will come into effect on the 13th of this month.
We will look at the main contents of each law to see what will happen with this revision of the law.
1. Amended Special Measures Law
This is the main content of the revised Special Measures for Coronavirus Countermeasures Law.
In order to enhance the effectiveness of the measures, the prefectural governor can "request" restrictions on the use of facilities under the state of emergency, and can also "order" businesses that do not respond without a justifiable reason. I will.
In addition, "priority measures such as prevention of spread" will be newly established so that measures can be taken intensively even before the state of emergency is declared.
After that, the governor of the prefecture targeted by the government will be able to "request" the business operator to change the business hours, and if not respond, "order".
In addition, on-site inspections can be conducted to the extent necessary to make "requests" and "orders" under the state of emergency and "priority measures."
And there is a fine as an administrative punishment for businesses that do not comply with the "order".
▽
A fine of 300,000 yen or less if a
state of emergency has been issued, 200,000 yen or less for
"priority measures" that have not been issued, and 200,000 yen or less if an on-
site inspection is refused. And.
Regarding the amount of fines, the government initially
submitted a proposal to the Diet that
▽ if an emergency declaration was issued, it would be 500,000 yen or less, and
▽
if
it was not issued, it would be 300,000 yen or less.
However, as a result of discussions between the ruling and opposition parties, the amount was reduced.
In addition, the revised law stipulates that the national and local governments will take the necessary financial measures to support businesses affected by infection control measures.
In addition,
▽ "temporary medical facilities" that could be opened when an emergency declaration was issued can be opened from the stage when the government's countermeasures headquarters are established.
▽ Patients, medical staff, etc. It also includes the government and local governments conducting awareness-raising activities, consultation support, and understanding of the actual situation so that they will not be treated discriminatory.
2. Revised Infectious Diseases Law
The revised Infectious Diseases Control Law has newly established a provision that allows the governor and others to request home medical treatment and accommodation medical treatment from infected persons.
In addition, if the infected person does not respond to the request for accommodation treatment, hospitalization is recommended, and if he / she does not respond or escapes from the hospital, an administrative punishment of "a fine of 500,000 yen or less" will be imposed.
In addition, if you make a false declaration or refuse an investigation at a health center without a justifiable reason, you will be subject to a "fine of 300,000 yen or less" as an administrative punishment.
Regarding these penalties, the government initially submitted a proposal to the Diet to impose criminal penalties for imprisonment and fines, but as a result of discussions between the ruling and opposition parties, it was revised to an administrative punishment without a criminal record and the amount of fines was reduced. It was.
In addition, the revised law states that the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare and the governor can request the necessary cooperation from medical institutions, and if they do not respond without a justifiable reason, they can recommend it and if they do not comply, the name of the medical institution can be announced. Regulations have also been included.
Furthermore, in order to share information on infected persons with the national and local governments, it is obligatory for the local government that has the health center to report the outbreak report to the prefectural governor and to report the survey results of the health center to the relevant local governments. ..
3. Revised Quarantine Law
As a measure against the border of the new coronavirus, the government requires foreigners to wait at home for 14 days in principle even if the test result at the airport is negative.
However, since there are cases where the request cannot be met due to lack of legal grounds, the revised law has established a provision that allows the quarantine station director to request the infected person to provide necessary cooperation such as waiting at home in order to improve the effectiveness of the measures. ..
In addition, if the infected person does not respond to the request such as waiting at home, he / she can take measures such as "staying" at the facility, and if he / she does not comply with this, the criminal penalty is "up to 1 year imprisonment or 1 million yen or less". There is a provision to impose a "fine".
Japan Food Service Association “Expansion of support”
The Japan Food Service Association, which is made up of major restaurant chains, has announced a comment on the revision of the Special Measures Law, which includes the introduction of penalties as a countermeasure against the new coronavirus.
Among them, regarding the imposition of fines on businesses that do not respond to orders such as shortening business hours, "The impact of the new coronavirus has deprived restaurants with little financial capacity and has already reached its limit. If it is to be established, it must be combined with compensation. ”We are requesting the government to expand support for the food service industry.
On top of that, "Publication of store names is more difficult than expected. If it is written in the SNS society that it does not respond to shortening of business hours, it may lead to criticism and flames, and the exhaustion of stores and employees is extremely large. It will be a burden, "he said, expressing strong concern about the publication of the store name.
Restaurant “Concrete financial support rather than introducing fines”
Regarding the revision of the Law on Special Measures for New Coronavirus, restaurants cooperating with the request for shortening business hours are calling for urgent implementation of financial support according to the scale of the business rather than introducing penalties. ..
The 35-year-old sushi restaurant "Uoshin" main store in Umeda, Osaka, is open until 1 am, but is now closed at 8 pm in response to a request for shortening in Osaka prefecture.
Sales have fallen to 20% of the previous year, and at this store, which has more than 40 seats in the downtown area, rent and personnel rent and personnel are paid uniformly to businesses that respond to shortening requests with a daily cooperation fee of 60,000 yen. We cannot cover the expenses.
The deficit since the state of emergency was declared last month is said to exceed 2.5 million yen.
Regarding the Special Measures Law that includes the introduction of penalties, Teppei Murata, the manager of the "Uoshin" head office, is wondering, "Why are only the penalties decided first and the compensation not decided?"
Then, assuming that the introduction of penalties is based on compensation and a set, "Sales vary depending on the store, so I would like you to promptly realize support that allows you to continue your business, such as compensation for 80% of the previous year instead of uniform compensation. I think that some stores will be closed depending on the content of the compensation, so I want you to be firm. ”He said, urgently requesting concrete support measures according to the scale of the business.
Chairman Nakagawa of the Japan Medical Association "It has become a polite system"
At a press conference, Chairman Nakagawa of the Japan Medical Association said, "If you do not follow the recommendations without a justifiable reason, we will announce the name of the medical institution that refused to accept the patient." In addition to being able to properly protect medical care, I hope that you will carefully consider the "justification" of the site, including the inability to zone and the inability to secure highly specialized doctors and nurses. " Said.