The government's "Basic Coping Policy Subcommittee" was held at the Joint Government Building in Nagata-cho, Tokyo from 7:00 am on the 14th.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Minister for Economic Revitalization Nishimura will newly apply "Priority Measures to Prevent Spread" to the five prefectures of Gunma, Ishikawa, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Kumamoto, which were consolidated through discussions with Prime Minister Suga on the night of the 13th. I consulted the policy.



In response, many attendees, including Shunpei Takemori, a senior researcher at the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Satoshi Kamayachi, a standing director of the Japan Medical Association, expressed a series of opinions that an emergency declaration should be issued to Hokkaido. It was.



In addition, there was an opinion that Okayama and Hiroshima should be targeted for the declaration, saying, "We are in a stage 4 situation and strong measures are required."



On the other hand, only one attendee agreed with the government's initial consultation.



Approximately an hour after the subcommittee began, Minister Nishimura left the meeting to attend a cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office.



Even while Minister Nishimura was away from the meeting, the government requested the attendees to understand the contents of the government's consultation.



Meanwhile, Minister Nishimura entered the Prime Minister's Office.



Before the Cabinet meeting, we will inform the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Tamura and Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato of the status of the subcommittee.



After the Cabinet meeting, he reported the opinion of the subcommittee to Prime Minister Suga and discussed the response with the relevant ministers.



Prime Minister Suga said, "If experts say so, that's fine."



In response to this, Minister Nishimura returned to the subcommittee and stated that he would like to change the content of the consultation as a result of talking with Prime Minister Suga, and announced that he would issue a state of emergency to Hokkaido, Okayama, and Hiroshima.



As a result, the subcommittee unanimously approved the changed government policy.