How is Japan trying to halt the spread of the coronavirus?

Question

Accepted Answer

Japan is implementing measures including school closures and preparing potential economic support to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

The Japanese government is focusing on halting the spread of the coronavirus, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledging to dedicate the coming weeks to this effort. The country has seen nearly 1,000 infections and 12 deaths attributed to the virus. In response to the potential economic impact, Japan is also signalling readiness for further fiscal stimulus measures if necessary.
School Closures Implemented to Curb Virus Spread

As a measure to prevent the spread of the virus, the government has requested schools to close their doors until the spring break in late March. This decision has reportedly caused difficulties for parents needing to arrange childcare. To address this, the government has announced plans to establish a fund. This fund aims to provide subsidies to workers who need to take time off to care for their children due to these school closures.
Economic Stimulus Measures Under Consideration

Beyond immediate public health measures, Japan is preparing to address the economic fallout from the coronavirus. The government has indicated it is ready to deploy additional fiscal stimulus if the country's economy is negatively affected. This readiness comes as the economy faces risks, including potential consecutive quarters of negative growth, exacerbated by the US-China trade war and a previous sales tax hike.
Existing and Contingent Fiscal Packages

Japan's government has already put in place fiscal measures. A US$122 billion fiscal package, intended to boost growth, was part of the record budget spending approved in December for the upcoming fiscal year. This budget is currently under deliberation in parliament. Furthermore, prior government actions taken to manage the epidemic have been financed using reserves set aside for emergency situations.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

How is Japan trying to halt the spread of the coronavirus?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends