The government's policy to apply quasi-emergency priority measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus to 13 prefectures, including Tokyo, Kanagawa and Aichi, was approved on Wednesday morning at a meeting of specialists on basic policy to deal with the pandemic. A formal decision was expected to be made at a meeting of a government task force on Wednesday evening. The period for the measures to be in effect is expected to be from Friday to Feb. 13.
At the meeting on basic policy, economic revitalization minister Daishiro Yamagiwa said: "The rapid spread of infections may place heavy burdens on the medical care delivery system in the near future. We need to take measures to prevent the spread of infection as soon as possible."
